Customs information allowed the location of imports

April 29, 2008. The Tax Agency denies an alleged lack of control over imports of sunflower oil as in the case of other products arriving on the domestic market from countries outside the European Union.

The Tax Agency, through its Customs Department, maintains all legal controls and paralyses all imports that do not boast the necessary certificates, including healthcare products. It also audits imports of products and facilitates their traceability, making it immediately possible, once an alert is raised, to send information on all imports of sunflower oil, and their destination, for healthcare professionals to take the corresponding action.

Trade union Gestha, who raised the concerns about customs activities, seems unaware that sunflower oil supplied in bulk for refining is not suitable for consumption. Therefore, the mandatory health controls must be performed after it is refined. If a health certificate is required as part of its passage through Customs had been requested and not provided, the goods would have been immobilised until the certificate was provided.

Gestha also appears unaware that the Tax Agency, through its Customs Department, complies with all legally required controls and collaborates effectively with the Health and Consumer authorities through an alert system, in addition to other devices, that has proven useful on this occasion.

Finally, the information provided by Gestha is incomplete and inaccurate. The Tax Agency uses tools including but not limited to risk analysis techniques for selecting the items to be subjected to a physical control, with physical inspections not required by under legislation for imports.

In any event, the Customs office is increasing the number of physical checks using non-intrusive apparatus to inspect goods, such as scanners, as recommended by the World Customs Organisation as a simple mechanism for detecting the unlawful imports, thus preventing operators being exposed to unnecessary damages.