The city of Lille in northern France has been chosen as the site for the future European Union Customs Authority (EUCA). The European Council and the Parliament announced this decision on Wednesday. The new agency will coordinate and support the activities of national customs authorities throughout the Union and is expected to employ around 250 staff.
The establishment of the EUCA is part of a broader effort to overhaul the EU customs system. The goal is to cope with the pressures from increased trade flows, fragmented national systems, the rapid rise of e‑commerce and shifting geopolitical realities. The location was settled in an informal inter‑institutional meeting at the political level.
Lille’s selection will now be incorporated into the comprehensive Customs Reform Regulation, which the Council and Parliament are still negotiating in their final stages. The exact date on which the authority will begin operations must also be agreed within those negotiations.
In October 2025, the European Commission invited member states to signal their interest in hosting the EUCA. Nine countries submitted bids: Belgium (Liège), Croatia (Zagreb), France (Lille), Italy (Rome), the Netherlands (The Hague), Poland (Warsaw), Portugal (Porto), Romania (Bucharest) and Spain (Málaga).