The European Council and the European Parliament announced on Wednesday that Lille, the northern French city, has been chosen as the site for the forthcoming European Customs Authority (EUCA).
The new agency will coordinate and support the activities of national customs administrations across the Union and is expected to employ roughly 250 staff.
Its creation is part of a broader effort to overhaul the EU’s customs system, aiming to meet the challenges posed by growing trade flows, fragmented national frameworks, a rapid rise in e‑commerce, and shifting geopolitical realities. The decision on the authority’s location was reached during an informal inter‑institutional meeting at a political level.
The site selection will now be incorporated into the comprehensive customs reform regulation, which the Council and Parliament are in the final stages of negotiating. The regulation will also set the date on which the EUCA will commence its operations.
In October 2025, the European Commission had invited member states to express interest in hosting the EUCA. Nine countries submitted applications: Belgium (Liège), Croatia (Zagreb), France (Lille), Italy (Rome), the Netherlands (The Hague), Poland (Warsaw), Portugal (Porto), Romania (Bucharest), and Spain (Málaga).
