Detect risks in customs declarations for admission of live animals and veterinary products

Customs

This algorithm helps Customs to always ascertain what the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) has determined as to what destination the consignment may receive. Among other things, it uses declaration data from companies and selects all relevant shipments.

Last change on 2nd of April 2025, at 12:51 (CET) | Publication Standard 1.0

• Publication category: Impactful algorithms
• Impact assessment: Field not filled in.
• Status: In use

General information

Theme

Health and Healthcare

Begin date

06-2023

Contact information

[e-mail]

Link to publication website

https://belastingnet.belastingdienst.nl/cms/html/boeken/HVGEM/veterinair_.html

Responsible use

Goal and impact

The purpose of this algorithm is to meet Customs' own legal obligation to check, prior to each import declaration, which destination the NVWA has authorised for that particular shipment of live animals and/or veterinary products. This involves a 100% check of all products falling under this category.

Considerations

This algorithm is essential for Customs to comply with the legally imposed obligation to do so from the Official Control Regulation Vo. 2017/625 article 57(2).

Human intervention

If a declaration yields a match with the risk profile, a customs officer reviews the declaration and compares the declaration data with NVWA data. If necessary, the officer asks for more information. The decision to check a declaration is a legal obligation. The decision to approve a declaration is made by a human being.

Risk management

Customs is required by law to check with NVWA for each import declaration of live animals and/or veterinary products for which destination the consignment is authorised. This involves a 100% check: all consignments are checked.

Legal basis

The legal basis for veterinary control lies in the Union Customs Code (DWU), the General Customs Act, the Animals Act and Regulation (EU) 2017/625. These laws ensure that the importation of live animals and veterinary products is done properly. The use of risk profiles also relies on DWU section 46. This says customs controls must rely primarily on risk analysis by electronic data processing techniques.

Links to legal bases

• Vo. (EU) 2017/625: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/NL/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32017R0625&qid=1733478734390
• Wet Dieren: https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0030250/2024-07-01
• Douanewetboek van de Unie: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/NL/TXT/PDF/?uri=celex:32013R0952

Operations

Data

By itself, the algorithm uses only certain codes from the declarations that indicate what type of shipment is involved. All rakings are checked by a customs colleague without any further distinction on any level.

Links to data sources

Gegevensvereisten douaneaangiften (zie Bijlage B Gedelegeerde Verordening Douanewetboek van de Unie + Bijlage VIa van de Algemene Douaneregeling): https://www.belastingdienst.nl/wps/wcm/connect/bldcontentnl/belastingdienst/douane_voor_bedrijven/naslagwerken_en_overige_informatie/andere_onderwerpen/gegevensvereisten/

Technical design

The algorithm selects 100% of the declarations where a bescheidcode has been entered for an associated GGB. For each declaration concerned, Customs must manually check whether that GGB actually exists and which destinations the NVWA has authorised in the process. If we find irregularities in this process, the consignment is selected for an expanded inspection. However, if the data between the GGB and the customs declaration match completely then we do not stop the consignment for the destinations the NVWA has authorised. Or at least not based on this criterion. Excluded from this algorithm are those consignments where this comparison has already taken place automatically via a so-called V2 code procedure.

External provider

Internally developed