On the front line of Europe's borders : Malta's Customs Department Enforcement Unit and the EU's security challenges

Abstract

We live in an increasingly dynamic, connected world that, within the past three decades, has radically changed its geopolitical, security and economic landscape. Globalisation and technological progress have redefined global trade mechanisms, leading to an expansion of economic integration and increasing trade patterns. However, such progress has heightened criminal networks to infiltrate and exploit from the global supply chain, resulting in several safety and security threats within our borders and our community. This shift has compelled Customs authorities to expand from their traditional role of revenue collecting towards a role focused on monitoring, detecting and tackling criminal networks behind cross-border crime. This case study investigates a complete scenario of Customs of Malta from a security perspective, outlining the transitions, measures, and future ambitions while bringing forward the challenges that arise or hinder such progress. The study aims to bridge international European demands and global challenges to a national perspective in a real-world context. Based on the study analyses, the literature provides the reader with a clear understanding of Customs on a micro level, presenting the responsibilities of several departments falling within the Customs Enforcement Unit. The paradigm shift within Customs of Malta and the radical progress of global trade has highlighted various underlying challenges addressing the need for closer coordination and cooperation to ensure effectiveness. In parallel, this pattern has also demonstrated how the EU’s smallest Customs authority has managed to reinvent itself through modernisation and implementation of several measures to tackle the challenges in the wake of a continuously changing environment.