Rome’s Official Bid for European Customs Agency: Eur Site Ready
ROME – Rome has officially entered the European competition to host the future European Customs Agency (Euca), a new European Union body established by the reform of the customs system. The city’s candidacy is robust, supported by a ready-to-use site identified in Eur, on Viale della Civiltà Romana, near the Nuvola convention center and the Palazzo dei Congressi.
Dossier Presented in Brussels
Following a formal presentation on December 12th at the residence of the Italian ambassador in Brussels, Mayor Roberto Gualtieri returned to the Belgian capital to present the project to the European Parliament’s Internal Market Committee (IMCO) at the Berlaymont building. Rome is competing against eight other European cities: Liege, Malaga, Lille, Zagreb, The Hague, Warsaw, Porto, and Bucharest. Voting procedures are still under discussion, with a final decision expected by the end of February.
Rome’s Three Key Strengths
In his address, Gualtieri outlined the core strengths of Rome’s proposal: “There are three reasons why Rome is the ideal location for the new European customs agency.”
The first reason is the quality of life: “As everyone knows,” Gualtieri stated, “Rome offers an extraordinary quality of life thanks to its beauty and vibrant cultural life. It is the extension of its cities, its beaches, and at the same time, it is a modern city that invests heavily in the quality of public services and innovation, and has just been awarded Smart City of the Year.”
The second element is the city’s international vocation. Rome is “one of the main hubs of the United Nations system. We have over 250 embassies,” he recalled, “30 international organizations, and 44 institutes. Consequently, Rome is particularly well-equipped to host large expatriate communities and offer a unique system of international schools, universities, and job opportunities for Euca families.”
Completing the picture are the strategic connections: “Thirdly, Rome is exceptionally well-connected,” the Mayor added. “It is a logistics hub. Its main airport has been awarded the best in Europe for seven consecutive years and offers direct flights to all EU member states.” The chosen building, modern and recently renovated, can accommodate over 500 employees and boasts major environmental certifications.
State’s Financial Commitment
Further strengthening Italy’s bid is the financial commitment guaranteed by the State. The European Commission highlighted that “Italy commits to covering all costs related to the use of the property for an indefinite period” and that, after an initial leasing phase, “Italy will purchase the property and make it available to the European Customs Agency free of charge.” This proposal aims to convince Brussels until the final vote.
