Certificate in Customs and Trade

2026 is a year of change for EU trade.  Businesses need to take protective action to minimise negative impact and to open the possibility of ending 2026 stronger than ever.  The key to success is understanding the forces at work, and the levers of change.

Within the EU, we already have the live implementation of CBAM and ICS2, and 2026 will bring major changes in distance selling (e-commerce).  There will be a fundamental structural shift in trade regulation with the new Union Customs Code, that will place full responsibility for all aspects of trade compliance firmly on the importer.  The role of customs brokers and representatives will change significantly.  Importers and their agents will now have to take full accountability for the entire supply chain, including compliance with issues such as product safety, ecodesign, deforestation and forced labour, as well as traditional fiscal issues.

Worldwide, the new tariff policy of the United States does not appear to have brought about a “new world order”.  There is strong evidence that most countries want a continuation of global supply chains based on stable trade agreements.  However, the disruption by the USA means that the emerging patterns of supply and logistics will be different, with a need for new suppliers, new markets, and new routes of shipping.

The USA remains a dominant market player and its decisions send ripples through the World.  The effects of its 2025 tariffs are yet to be determined, but support for much of the “America First” policy within the USA appears to be declining.  With mid-term elections approaching in 2026, it is very likely that further radical initiatives will be taken to bolster credibility of the administration’s policies.  For Europe, this is worrying, as the US makes no secret of regarding the EU as an enemy to be weakened or destroyed.

This course is specifically designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills to carry out a thorough evaluation of your (or your client’s) business in the context of the risks and opportunities of 2026 and beyond.  It covers the necessary legal aspects of Customs, but is practically focussed on real issues derived from the experience of the lecturers, who are all practising customs professionals.