On November 8, 2024 in Dijon, a new step was taken in the fight against fraud which threatens the French economy and public finances. A regional cooperation protocol was signed between Customs and the Public Finance Department in the presence of Sophie Bernert, interregional director of customs for Burgundy-Franche-Comté-Centre-Val-de-Loire, represented by her deputy Ghislaine Cazal-Castanier , as well as David Cugnetti, regional director of Customs, Hélène Crocquevieille, regional director of Public Finance, and Gabriel Ganzenmuller, interregional director of Central-East tax control.
This protocol is a continuation of the national protocol signed on May 6, 2024 between the General Directorate of Customs and Indirect Duties (DGDDI) and the General Directorate of Public Finance (DGFiP). Its objective: to strengthen the exchange of information and synergies between these two administrations in order to fight more effectively against all forms of fraud which harm the national economy.
A strengthening of historic cooperation
For more than twenty-five years, Customs and Public Finance have worked together to pool their skills on issues of common interest. This new cooperation protocol is based on the Ministerial Roadmap “Fight against all public finance fraud” published in May 2023, which defines three major priorities:
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The evolution of the field of cooperation between the Customs and Public Finance administrations;
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The development of reciprocal access to the databases of each administration;
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The transfer of certain taxes from Customs to Public Finance, in particular the generalization of the self-liquidation of VAT.
Modernized cooperation tools
The new protocol aims to develop more efficient cooperation tools and ensure more fluid and systematic exchanges of information. To achieve this, concrete measures have been put in place:
- Improve Mutual Knowledge : each administration has new thematic sheets to better understand the activities and methods of the other party.
- Intensify Data Exchange : a greater share of mass data will be shared between Customs and Public Finance.
- New Framework for the Exchange of Punctual Information : protocols clearly defining the exchange of precise and operational information have been adopted.
Regional operational management
Cooperation at the regional level is based on the creation of an operational committee which supervises and directs the actions of Customs and Public Finance. This committee, which meets at least once a year, has already held its first session after the signing of the protocol.
In addition, local correspondents have been appointed in each administration. Their mission will be to circulate information to the most competent services to use it, organize joint actions and discuss the needs and expectations of each entity. These correspondents will also be responsible for facilitating the identification of potential fraud based on information from the field.
Varied fields of intervention
The subjects on which Customs and Public Finance will collaborate may be numerous: large cash payments by foreign customers, potential fraudulent activities identified among buyers or resellers of counterfeit goods, illicit tobacco trafficking, wine smuggling networks, control of capital transported across the territory… The extent of cooperation promises increased surveillance and better detection of illicit activities affecting the regional economic fabric.
Converging skills serving the public interest
This regional protocol evokes the growing convergence between the missions of Customs and Public Finance. This is evidenced by the professional trajectory of Hélène Crocquevieille, now regional director of public finances, who was director general of customs from 2013 to 2017. Her experience on both sides of the administrative border clearly illustrates the desire to strengthen the links between these two institutions.
The signing of this protocol marks an essential step to improve the effectiveness of the fight against fraud and optimize the mobilization of public resources. By strengthening cooperation, Customs and Public Finance are committed to working more closely together, in order to preserve the economic and financial integrity of France.
