AEO operator. What it changes for shippers.
Dalè is an Authorised Economic Operator: a status customs grant after checking a company's reliability, organisation and soundness. Here is what it means and what it brings to those who entrust goods to us.
AEO status explained simply, without needless acronyms.
What AEO status is
AEO stands for Authorised Economic Operator. It is a status provided for by the Union Customs Code, EU Regulation No 952/2013, in Articles 38 and 39. It is granted by the customs authorities, in Italy the Customs and Monopolies Agency, to a company established in the Union that applies and passes a thorough assessment. The idea comes from the SAFE Framework of Standards adopted in 2005 by the World Customs Organization: a partnership between customs and businesses to make the supply chain more secure and legitimate trade smoother. Status granted by one Member State is recognised by the customs authorities of all the others.
The criteria to be met
To obtain the status, a company must show that it has no serious or repeated infringements of customs and tax rules, and no serious criminal offences relating to its business. It must have a system of commercial and, where appropriate, transport records that allows customs to carry out appropriate controls, in other words a high level of control over its operations and the flow of goods. It must be financially solvent. Depending on the type of authorisation, it must then show professional competence related to its activity or appropriate security standards. It is not a certificate obtained once and for all: the status is subject to ongoing monitoring.
AEOC, AEOS and AEOF: the differences
The Code provides for two types of authorisation, which can also be combined. AEOC, where C stands for customs, covers customs simplifications: holders have easier access to simplified procedures and customs do not re-examine criteria already checked. AEOS, where S stands for security, covers safety and security: it requires measures on access, goods, partners and staff and brings easier treatment in security-related controls. A company holding both authorisations is often referred to as AEOF, where F stands for full. In every case a company holds only one status in the Union.
Fewer controls, better handled
The most quoted benefit is more favourable treatment in controls: the Code provides for authorised operators to undergo fewer physical and document-based controls, depending on the type of authorisation. It does not mean no controls, but a risk assessment that takes account of reliability already verified. According to the European Commission, the operator may also receive advance notice when goods are selected for a control and can ask for the control to take place at a specific location. For shippers, this means fewer unexpected hold-ups and more reliable planning.
Priority when a control does happen
An authorised operator can still be selected for a control, at random or because of a specific risk. In that case the goods receive priority treatment: they are examined ahead of others, to reduce waiting time. In our case, import and export operations are carried out under a simplified procedure at our Brescia warehouses, so the goods are already in an organised location, with staff who know the file and documents to hand. It is the combination of status, procedures and internal organisation that makes the difference, not the acronym on its own.
Mutual recognition with other countries
AEO status is European in origin, but the Commission has concluded mutual recognition agreements with similar programmes in other countries: currently Canada, China, Japan, Moldova, Norway, Switzerland, the United States, Türkiye and the United Kingdom. Under these agreements, the partner country's customs recognise European authorised operators and grant them benefits such as fewer security controls and priority at clearance. Mutual recognition concerns authorisations with the security component, and the practical benefits depend on each agreement and on the role of the parties involved: that is why we check them shipment by shipment.
What it means in practice for customers
For those who entrust goods to us, working with an AEO operator means dealing with an organisation that customs have already examined on accounts, procedures, financial soundness and organisation. In practice: declarations prepared by people used to answering for the quality of the information, documented procedures, traceable operations and a relationship with customs built over time. The European Commission also points to indirect benefits, such as fewer delays, better planning and recognition as a reliable partner along the supply chain. Together with our ISO 9001 quality management system certified by SGS, AEO status is part of the way we work every day.
A commitment renewed every day
AEO status is not a milestone reached once and for all. Customs monitor it on an ongoing basis and can suspend or revoke it if the criteria are no longer met. That is why keeping the status means updating procedures, training staff, checking partners and keeping records in order even when nobody is looking at them. It is work that involves the whole company, from the warehouse to the accounts office, and it is reflected in every shipment we handle.
What we ask of our customers
The reliability of a customs declaration also depends on the information it starts from. We ask customers for clear and complete descriptions of the goods, correct values and delivery terms, codes and origin that match reality, their EORI number and an up-to-date representation mandate. We ask them to tell us in advance about dangerous goods, dual-use items, firearms or products subject to licences and certificates, and to let us know when suppliers, products or flows change. Finally, we remind them that the Customs Code requires customs records to be kept for at least three years. The more precise the cooperation, the more the benefits of the status actually reach your goods.
