Customs cooperates closely with customers

Customs has an advisory committee for customer relations and seven national customer cooperation groups that convene one to three times a year.

Companies that are invited to participate in the groups are also part of the customer cooperation networks of their own fields of activity. In the customer cooperation groups and networks, customers can discuss their requirements regarding customs transactions. Customers have access to information and can give feedback on the development of customs transactions and, for example, on the preparation of EU customs legislation. Customer cooperation groups discuss changes in the operating environment, and the effects of the changes are assessed together.

When necessary, Customs sets up a customer cooperation groups for the preparation of individual changes. Customs also has cooperation networks for import and export.

Please contact the secretary of the customer cooperation network if you would like to participate in the activities of the network.

Points to consider

The Customs Advisory Committee works as an information and cooperation forum between Customs and interest groups. The committee convenes 1–2 times a year. The chairman of the committee is Customs’ Director General Hannu Mäkinen.

Member of the Advisory Committee:

  • Association of Automobile Importers in Finland
  • The Confederation of Finnish Industries EK
  • Finnish Food and Drink Industries’ Federation
  • Finnish Energy
  • Finpro
  • Finnish Commerce Federation
  • International chamber of Commerce (ICC Finland)
  • Finnish Chamber of Commerce
  • Health Product Wholesalers’ and Manufacturers’ Association of Finland
  • Finnish Forest Industries
  • The Federation of Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry
  • Finnish Grocery Trade Association
  • The Confederation of Finnish Construction Industries RT
  • Finnish Port Operators Association
  • Finnish Freight Forwarding and Logistics Association
  • Finnish Transport and Logistics SKAL
  • Shipbrokers Finland
  • Finnish Port Association
  • Finnish Association of Purchasing and Logistics LOGY
  • Finnish Shipowners’ Association
  • The Federation of Finnish Enterprises
  • The Association of Finnish Technical Traders
  • Technology Industries in Finland
  • Textile and Fashion Suppliers and Retailers Finland
  • Finnish Tobacco Industries’ Federation
  • Petroleum & Biofuels Association of Finland

The customer cooperation group on forwarding handles changes regarding the operating environment of the forwarding and the express freight fields as well as Customs’ field of activity, and the effects the changes have on customs activity. The aim is to take the customer’s view into account when developing customs services and the customs operation. The group meets twice a year. The chairman is Deputy Director-General Jarkko Saksa from Customs Foreign Trade and Taxation Department. The secretary is Aino Rauhamäki from the Customs Information Service.

Members:

  • DHL Express (Finland) Oy
  • DHL Freight (Finland) Oy
  • Independent Express Finland Oy
  • Oy Kuehne & Nagel Ltd
  • Maersk Logistics & Services Finland Oy
  • Nurminen Logistics Services Oy
  • SA-TU Logistics Oy
  • Schenker Oy
  • Steveco Oy
  • Suomen Huolinta- ja Logistiikkaliitto ry (SHLL)
  • TNT Suomi Oy
  • Varova Oy

The main task of the customer cooperating group on sea traffic is to contribute to the realisation of EU’s customs legislation and the related reforms in the most appropriate manner in Finland, regarding both sea traffic operators and Customs.

The cooperation group consists of the most important interest groups within sea traffic customs logistics and Customs’ experts. The group meets twice a year. Chairman of the group is Senior Customs Officer Henrik Lindström from the Foreign Trade and Taxation Department of Finnish Customs, and the secretary is Erja Silventoinen from the Customs Information Service.

Members:

  • Oy CMA CGM Finland
  • C&C Port Agency
  • Containerships Oyj
  • DHL Global Forwarding (Finland) Oy
  • Finnlines Oyj
  • Finnsteve Oy Ab
  • GAC Finland
  • Oy Kuehne + Nagel Ltd
  • Finnish Transport Agency
  • Maersk Finland Oy
  • Ab ME Group Oy Ltd
  • Oy M- Rauanheimo Ab
  • Oy MSC Finland Ab
  • Oy Niklashipping Ltd
  • Finnish Port Operators Association
  • Steveco Oy
  • Suomen Laivameklarit ry
  • Finnish Port Association
  • Team Lines Finland Oy
  • Unifeeder Finland

Members of the customer cooperation group on air traffic are representatives of airlines, GSA-companies and CHA-companies, among others. The group mainly informs on matters concerning air traffic and comes with ideas on development. The chairman of the group is Head of Airport Customs Mika Pitkäniemi and the secretary is Esa Rika from the Customs Information Service. The group meets twice a year.

Members:

  • Aeroflot-Russian Airlines
  • Agility Logistcs Oy Ab
  • Dachser Finland Oy
  • DHL Global Forwarding (Finland) Oy
  • DSV Air & Sea Oy
  • Finnair Cargo Oy
  • Geodis Wilson
  • Kales Airline Services
  • Kuehne & Nagel Oy Ltd
  • Lufthansa Cargo Ag, Finland
  • Oy NordicGSA Ab
  • Service Sector Employers Palta
  • The Defence Forces
  • SAS
  • Scanpartners
  • Schenker Oy
  • Swissport Finland Oy
  • UPS SCS (Finland) Oy
  • Varova Oy

The customer cooperation group on express freight companies consists of three express freight companies with their own flights to Finland. The main focus of the meetings is on informing about matters concerning the logistics chain and handling development ideas. The chairman of the group is Mika Pitkäniemi, Head of Airport Customs and the secretary is Esa Rika from the Customs Information Service. A representative from the Customs Electronic Service Centre (SPAKE) is also invited to the meetings. The group meets three times a year.

Members:

  • DHL Express (Finland) Oy
  • FedEx Express Finland Oy
  • United Parcel Service Finland Oy

The main focus of the customer cooperation group on electronic transactions is on development ideas for electronic transactions, changes, implementations and services as well as the customers’ needs in connection to these. The customer cooperation group consists of software suppliers, message exchange operators, service providers, major customers in electronic transactions and interest groups as well as Customs experts in electronic transactions. The chairman is Arja Räikkönen, and secretary is Markus Rentola from the  e-Services Group of the Customer Relations and Tax Collection Unit.

The group meets twice a year.

Members:

  • Aktiv Data Oy
  • Capgemini Finland Oy
  • CGI Suomi Oy
  • DB Schenker Oy
  • DHL Express (Finland) Oy
  • Digia Oyj
  • Euroports Rauma Oy
  • Independent Express Finland Oy
  • OpusCapita Group Oy
  • OWS Finland Oy
  • Prog-It Oy
  • Samex Solutions Oy
  • UPM-Kymmene Oyj
  • Varova Oy
  • wCargo Oy

The Åland Islands customer cooperation group handles customs matters and other special matters relating to the tax border of the Åland Islands. The aim is to develop and create new forms of cooperation with operators within the trade community in the region. In addition to the permanent members, different participants can be called to the meetings according to the type of matters at hand. The secretary for the customer cooperation group is Maud Wickström of Mariehamn Customs. The cooperation group meets once or twice a year.

Members:

  • The Åland Chamber of commerce
  • Åland Post Ab
  • Transmar Ab
  • Mariehamns Parti Ab

Customers of Finnish Customs can join the customer cooperation network of their own field of activity.

We also send memorandums on the meetings to network members, who do not themselves participate in the groups. Members can comment on matters that are being processed. The activity is open to those who have signed up for it, and the correspondence between Customs and the members is public to all network participants. To be a part of the network, contact the secretary.

Contact information

Customer cooperation networks

Forwarding: secretary Aino Rauhamäki (aino.rauhamaki(at)tulli.fi)

Sea traffic: secretary Erja Silventoinen (erja.silventoinen(at)tulli.fi)

Air traffic: secretary Esa Rika (esa.rika(at)tulli.fi)

international express freight: secretary Esa Rika (esa.rika(at)tulli.fi)

E-services: secretary Markus Rentola (markus.rentola(at)tulli.fi)

Import: secretary Suvi Rumpu (suvi.rumpu(at)tulli.fi)

Export: secretary Minnaleena Lehikoinen (minnaleena.lehikoinen(at)tulli.fi)


The aim is to chart out the customer needs of private customers, and to get comments on transaction services under development. All customers who accept the guidelines of the group are welcome to participate. You can join and leave the group based on your interest. The group works in a project-like way, and will be set up for a limited time period once Customs has progressed with its transaction services for private customers to a development stage where draft services are ready for presentation.

If you are interested in developing transaction services for private customers with Customs, please send a request on Facebook for joining the group.


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