Customs will be more streamlined (cross-border guide)

Context

The Federal Office of Customs and Border Security (FOCS) has decided to cut 25 management positions. This decision is part of a broader reorganization that aims to reduce bureaucracy and increase customs efficiency.

According to internal sources, the reduction in managerial positions was necessary to adapt to the new regulations on border security. The Federal Law on Border Security (LSC) of 2019 has in fact introduced new rules for border management and the prevention of the smuggling of irregular migrants.

Ticino customs, in particular, was among the first to implement these new rules. "We were among the first to implement the LSC and create a new model of border management," says a source from the Ticino customs department.

The reorganization of the UDSC also provides for the creation of new operational units that will deal with the prevention of the smuggling of irregular migrants and border management. “It will be possible to contact these new services directly from border stations and borders,” another department official explains.

The reduction in managerial positions was made possible by the Federal Public Employment Reforms (RFPI) Act of 2019. This law introduced new rules for the management of public personnel and allowed administrations to reduce the number of employees.

Ticino customs has already

Operational details

This decision was taken in the context of customs and border security reform, which envisages the creation of a new, more streamlined and efficient management model. The new model provides for the reduction of costs and the improvement of the provision of services, thanks to the use of innovative technologies and the simplification of procedures. Ticino customs, in particular, will be affected by this reorganisation. According to UDSC estimates, the cost reduction is expected to be around CHF 1.5 million per year, which can be used to improve service delivery and to invest in innovative technologies. The customs reorganization also provides for the creation of a new service center, which will be responsible for the management of the flows of goods and people. This service center will be equipped with advanced technologies for data management and simplification of procedures. The new customs structure also provides for the creation of a new role, that of "flow manager", who will be responsible for managing the flows of goods and people. This role will be responsible for managing procedures and simplifying waiting times. The reorganization of customs also provides for the reduction of waiting times for customers. According to UDSC estimates, waiting times should be reduced by about 30% thanks to the simplification of procedures and The new customs structure also provides for the creation of a new role, that of "data manager", who will be responsible for data management and simplification of procedures. This role will be responsible for managing data and simplifying wait times. The customs reorganization also provides for the creation of a new flow management system, which will be responsible for the management of flows and the simplification of procedures. This flow management system will be equipped with advanced technologies for flow management and simplification of procedures. The new customs structure also provides for the creation of a new role, that of "flow manager", who will be responsible for the management of flows and the simplification of procedures. This role will be responsible for managing flows and simplifying waiting times. The customs reorganization also provides for the creation of a new security management center, which will be responsible for security management and simplification of procedures. This security management center will be equipped with advanced technologies for security management and simplification of procedures. The new customs structure also provides for the creation of a new role, that of "head of security management", who will be responsible for

Key points

This change will be implemented by 31 December 2025, as established by the Federal Council Directive of 15 February 2023, which provides for a 10% reduction in staff by 2026. This decision was taken in order to increase the efficiency and speed of customs operations, while reducing costs to the federal budget.

According to the latest data, in 2022, Lugano customs handled over 250,000 passengers and 150,000 vehicles, with freight traffic exceeding 1,500 containers per day. The reorganization of customs operations aims to reduce waiting times for passengers and vehicle drivers, improving their experience.

Bellinzona Customs, which is located a few kilometers from the border with Italy, is one of the busiest in the canton. In 2022, it handled over 200,000 passengers and 100,000 vehicles, with freight traffic exceeding 1,000 containers per day.

To implement this reorganization, the UDSC has established a set of objectives and performance indicators. These include:

• Reduction of waiting time for passengers by at least 30%
• Reduction of waiting time for drivers of vehicles by at least 25%
• Reduction in the number of complaints for passengers and drivers of vehicles by at least 20%
• Reduction of freight traffic by at least 10%

To achieve these objectives, the UDSC has prepared a series of operational measures, including:

• Implementation of a system of

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Source: rsi.ch