The EU strategy calls on member states to transition entirely to electronic and interoperable systems that create a paperless environment for customs and trade.
That requirement extends to customer service, which will increasingly be delivered via telephone and online. Customs officials already shuttered four customer service offices in 2014.
“The remaining 12 offices will be gradually closed during the next few years. Pori and Rauma will most likely close their doors this year,” observed Turku Customs director Arto Honka.
Most customers doing busines online
According to customs officials pruning the network of customer service points will not create any personnel reductions, given that there is currently little demand for live customer interaction.
“The majority of private and corporate customers already do business with Customs online,” Honka explained.
He said that in recent years the authority has invested heavily in online and telephone advisory services, and customers already have access to these services from 7.00 am to 10.00 pm.
