Brussels, Dec. 2, 2025 (Lusa) - The Porto City Council said in Brussels on Tuesday that the former industrial area has "exceptional conditions" to host the headquarters of the new European Customs Authority from 2026 onwards, despite acknowledging "tough competition" from other cities.
"We are here as the city of Porto, but with very strong support from the Portuguese government, because we believe that Porto has exceptional conditions to host this European agency, which is of extraordinary importance for the whole of Europe, for the continent, and even in global terms can have a very significant impact," said the Mayor of Porto, Pedro Duarte.
The Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Finance, and the Mayor of Porto, presented Portugal's bid to host the European Customs Authority's headquarters in Brussels today, with eight other countries also competing.
"We know that major European cities have already submitted nine bids, so we are aware that the competition is tough, that this will be a difficult journey, a complex competition, but we in Porto and in Portugal, I would say, [...] are very optimistic," he added.
"We are prepared to welcome these officials as early as next year," said Pedro Duarte.
At an event at Portugal's permanent representation to the European Union (EU), the Government and the Porto City Council tried to “convince” the audience, composed of members of European institutions, to support the Portuguese bid for the European Customs Authority (EUCA).
Despite acknowledging obstacles, such as difficult access to the housing market due to the housing crisis in Portugal, Pedro Duarte told Portuguese journalists in Brussels that Porto "is a special city in many ways", given its past linked to trade and customs, as well as its accessibility.
Precisely to facilitate access, the headquarters is planned for the Ramalde area, a former industrial zone in Porto, which is close to the airport and has direct access to the city centre, in a building currently under construction by private developers.
It is now up to the EU government to assess and issue an opinion, with a decision to be taken by the co-legislators (countries and MEPs), perhaps in February.
The EU Customs Authority is a new EU agency proposed by the European Commission in 2023, tasked with coordinating customs risk management across the EU Member States' customs administrations.
In addition to Portugal, eight other countries are competing: Belgium (Liège), Spain (Málaga), France (Lille), Croatia (Zagreb), Italy (Rome), the Netherlands (The Hague), Poland (Warsaw) and Romania (Bucharest).
The EU Customs Authority is to be established from 2026, with the European Commission responsible for its launch.
The EU executive will now assess the nine applications over the coming weeks, ensuring that the location will enable the authority to carry out its tasks and powers, recruit highly qualified and specialised staff and offer training opportunities.
Brussels will also assess the location's accessibility, the availability of social facilities, adequate access to social security and medical care, and geographical balance.
There are currently two decentralised EU agencies based in Portugal, in Lisbon, namely the European Maritime Safety Agency and the European Union Agency for Drugs.
Portugal unsuccessfully bid to host the European Medicines Agency.
The EU has more than 30 decentralised agencies spread across several Member States.
ANE/ADB // ADB.
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