“We are here as the city of Porto, but with very strong support from the Portuguese government because we believe that Porto has exceptional conditions to host this European agency, which is of extraordinary relevance for the entire European space, for the continent, and even globally could have a very significant impact,” said the Mayor of Porto, Pedro Duarte.
The Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Finance and the Mayor of Porto presented the Portuguese bid to host the headquarters of the European Customs Authority in Brussels today, with eight other countries also in the running.
“We know that there are nine applications already submitted, from major European cities, and we are aware that the competition is tough, is big, this is going to be a difficult journey, a complex competition, but we in Porto and in Portugal, I would say, […] we are very optimistic,” he added.
“We are prepared to host those officials as early as next year,” Pedro Duarte stated.
At an event in Portugal’s permanent representation to the European Union (EU), the Government and the Porto City Council sought to ‘convince’ the audience composed of members of the European institutions to opt for the Portuguese candidacy for the European Customs Authority (EUCA).
Despite acknowledging obstacles such as difficult access to the housing market due to the housing crisis in Portugal, Pedro Duarte told Portuguese journalists in Brussels that Porto “is a special city in many aspects,” given its history linked to trade and customs and also its accessibility.
To facilitate access, the headquarters is planned for the Ramalde area, a former industrial zone of Porto, close to the airport and with direct access to the city center, in a building that is being completed by private developers.
It is now up to the EU executive to evaluate and issue an opinion, with a decision to be made by co-legislators (countries and MEPs), possibly in February.
The EU Customs Authority is a new community agency, proposed by the European Commission in 2023, tasked with coordinating customs risk management between the different customs administrations of EU Member States.
Besides Portugal, eight other countries are competing: Belgium (Liège), Spain (Málaga), France (Lille), Croatia (Zagreb), Italy (Rome), Netherlands (The Hague), Poland (Warsaw), and Romania (Bucharest).
The EU Customs Authority is expected to be established by 2026, with the European Commission responsible for its operational commencement.
The community executive will now evaluate the nine applications over the coming weeks, ensuring the location will allow the authority to perform its duties and powers, recruit highly qualified and specialized personnel, and offer training opportunities.
Brussels will also verify the location’s accessibility, the existence of social facilities, adequate access to social security and medical care, and geographical balance.
Currently, there are two decentralized EU agencies headquartered in Portugal, specifically in Lisbon, namely the European Maritime Safety Agency and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction.
Portugal previously unsuccessfully competed for the European Medicines Agency.
The EU has more than 30 decentralized agencies spread across various Member States.
