Since the entry into force of the Union Customs Code, the customs administration has been requesting the tax IDs of employees, managers and members of supervisory bodies as part of the application process for and re-evaluation of customs authorisations. After justified doubts from the business world were raised as to the legality of these requests, the customs administration temporarily suspended its requests. In its judgement of 16 January 2019, the ECJ now considers such requests to be permissible, in principle, but with a restriction placed on the group of persons whose tax IDs are required to be produced.
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