Declarium Is AEO-C-Authorised: What Our Status Means for Customers

As of 27 September 2026, Declarium is authorised as an Authorised Economic Operator for Customs Simplifications (AEO-C).

The status is granted by customs authorities following a comprehensive assessment and is recognised throughout the European Union. For us, the authorisation is therefore more than a formal milestone: it confirms that our customs organisation meets defined requirements regarding compliance, record-keeping, financial solvency, and professional competence.

But what exactly does AEO-C mean? What benefits are associated with the status? And what changes for companies that manage their customs processes with Declarium?

What Is an Authorised Economic Operator?

The AEO programme is a partnership between customs authorities and companies involved in the international movement of goods. Businesses may apply for the status voluntarily. It is granted only when the statutory requirements have been met and assessed by the customs administration.

There are three forms of AEO status in the European Union:

Declarium holds AEO-C status. It focuses on customs simplifications and must not be confused with the security-related AEO-S status.

AEO status granted in one EU Member State is recognised by the customs authorities of all Member States. This is particularly relevant for companies whose customs processes do not end at a single national border.

Which Requirements Were Assessed?

AEO-C authorisation is not based on a single product feature or a one-off technical check. The organisation of the economic operator as a whole is assessed. For AEO-C, the Union Customs Code defines four key areas:

1. Customs and Tax Compliance

The assessment considers whether customs and taxation rules have been observed and whether there have been any serious or repeated infringements or relevant serious criminal offences.

2. Appropriate Commercial and Transport Records

Records and internal processes must be organised in a way that allows goods movements to be traced and appropriate customs controls to be carried out.

3. Financial Solvency

The economic operator must demonstrate that its financial standing enables it to fulfil its customs obligations properly.

4. Practical Competence or Professional Qualifications

The customs activities performed must be supported by practical standards of competence or the corresponding professional qualifications.

These criteria address the same areas that matter in day-to-day customs operations: clean data, clear responsibilities, documented processes, and well-founded professional decisions.

What Does AEO-C Status Mean for Our Customers?

For our customers, the authorisation is first and foremost an officially assessed signal of quality and compliance. They work with a partner whose customs organisation and internal control mechanisms have been reviewed by the customs administration.

This complements the approach on which Declarium is already built: we combine customs software, customs services, and personal expert support in one end-to-end digital process. Automation provides speed and scalability. Expertise, traceable workflows, and clear controls ensure that this speed does not come at the expense of customs quality.

AEO-C status also supports access to certain customs simplifications. However, the specific simplification that can be used in an individual procedure still depends on the relevant authorisation, the roles of the parties involved, and the customs procedure concerned.

Our Authorisations – and Yours

AEO-C is not the only customs authorisation relevant to operational processes. Declarium also holds its own procedure-specific authorisations, including the Simplified Declaration for export (SDE, formerly ZA) and Authorised Consignor status (ZV).

Depending on the procedure and the agreed setup, this allows us to manage customs processes using our own authorisations. At the same time, our approach remains flexible: where a customer already holds its own authorisations, these can be integrated into Declarium's digital workflow.

There is no universal answer as to which setup is most appropriate. The relevant factors include the customs procedure, the flow of goods, the allocation of roles, and the customer's existing authorisations. The operational setup is therefore agreed jointly before the first declarations go live.

What AEO-C Does Not Mean

AEO status is often described in simplified terms as a customs quality mark. That can be a helpful orientation, but it must not create false expectations.

• Customers do not automatically obtain their own AEO status by working with Declarium.
• AEO-C authorisation does not guarantee customs clearance without controls.
• It does not guarantee immediate release or fixed processing times by customs authorities.
• AEO-C does not confirm the specific security and safety requirements covered by AEO-S.
• Procedure-specific simplifications continue to require the relevant authorisations and conditions.

Customs authorities may still carry out controls on AEO-authorised companies. The status provides a reliable framework and can offer benefits relating to customs simplifications and controls, but it does not replace the correct declaration of each individual transaction.

Another Building Block for Reliable Digital Customs Processes

Digital customs processing is not only about interfaces and automated data transfer. Technology, processes, and professional responsibility must work together.

AEO-C authorisation confirms that Declarium meets officially assessed organisational requirements for this purpose. For our customers, this means they can establish digital customs processes with a partner that combines software expertise with an assessed operational customs organisation.

Would you like to know whether your customs processes can be managed using Declarium's authorisations or how your existing authorisations can be integrated? Discover our platform or arrange a personal conversation with our team.

Sources

• European Commission: Authorised Economic Operator Programme
• European Commission: AEO legislation and management instruments
• Union Customs Code – Regulation (EU) No 952/2013