Customs Information System (CIS)

Purpose of the CIS

The CIS is intended to combat crime, such as smuggling.

Legislation for the CIS

The CIS is based on Regulation 515/1997 and Council Decision 2009/917/JHA of the EU.

Data in the CIS

The CIS exclusively contains data that are necessary for the enforcement of the customs regulations. These may be, among others, personal data, such as the name, the address and the number of the identity document of a person under suspicion.

The nature of these data has been described in precise detail. The collection and processing of these data is subject to the rules for the protection of personal data. In the Netherlands, just like in the other Member States of the EU, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies, and additionally the Dutch Police Data Act (Wpg).

Supervision of the CIS

The CIS consists of 2 separate databases:

1. One database contains data about matters that fall under European laws (customs and agricultural regulations), possibly also including personal data.
2. The other database contains data about matters that are subject to national laws only (police and judicial authorities), for example fraud and the smuggling of drugs or arms.

Supervision of database 1

The supervision of this part of the CIS has been assigned to the Supervision Coordination Group Customs Information System (SCG CIS).

The SCG CIS consists of the national data protection authorities of the EU Member States and the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS). The Dutch Data Protection Authority (Dutch DPA) represents the Netherlands in the SCG CIS.

Supervision of database 2

The rules for data processing in this part of the CIS, including the rules for the protection of personal data, have been laid down in the Convention on the use of information technology for customs purposes (CIS Convention).

The supervision of this part of the CIS has been assigned to the Secretariat of the European Council. The Dutch DPA supervises the national part of the system.

Your rights concerning the CIS

Have your personal data (possibly) been registered in the CIS? In principle, you have a right of access to your data. You also have the right to ask for rectification or removal of your data.

You can submit a request in any EU Member State by contacting the competent authority. Do you make a request outside the Netherlands? Then you can turn to the competent authority of the EU Member State in which you want to submit your request. You can find the details of the competent authority for each country in: A guide for exercising the right of access to the Customs Information System.

Right of access

You have a right of access to your data. This means that you can ask whether your personal data are in the CIS. And if so, which personal data of you have been recorded in the CIS and for what purpose.

You can ask for access by writing a letter to the national authority responsible for data in the CIS. In the Netherlands, this is the Tax and Customs Administration.

You can send your letter to:

Belastingdienst
Postbus 2508
6401 DA Heerlen

Note:

• You have to send a copy of your identity document along with your letter. You can black out your passport photo and your citizen service number (Dutch BSN) in this copy.
• Does a lawyer submit the request on your behalf? Then you also have to send a written power of attorney along with your request.

Response to your request

Do you make a request for access in the Netherlands? Then you will receive a reply to your request within 4 weeks. This period may be extended by 8 weeks. You will be informed about this in writing.

Do you make a request in another country? Then it depends on the rules of this country when you will receive a reply.

Your request is refused

Your request for access to your data may only be refused if this is necessary, for example, for:

• public safety;
• a supervisory task, inspection task or regulatory task;
• your own protection or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others;
• the collection of civil claims.

Right to rectification or removal

Are the data about you in the CIS incorrect? Or have the data been wrongly included in the CIS? Then you have the right to ask for rectification or removal of your data.

You can send your request for rectification or removal to:

Belastingdienst
Postbus 2508
6401 DA Heerlen.