The new €1 billion Customs Control Equipment Instrument will help Member States purchase, maintain and upgrade state-of-the-art customs equipment. This instrument aims to fund equipment that is not intrusive but that allows customs controls to be performed efficiently and effectively. As part of the Fund and with a view to achieving the long-term aim of the harmonised application of customs controls by the Member States, the general objective of the Instrument is to support the customs union and customs authorities in their mission to protect the financial and economic interests of the Union and its Member States, to ensure security and safety within the Union and to protect the Union from illegal trade while facilitating legitimate business activity. The specific objective of the Instrument is to contribute to adequate and equivalent results of customs controls through the transparent purchase, maintenance and upgrading of relevant and reliable state-of-the-art customs control equipment that is secure, safe and environmental-friendly, thereby helping the customs authorities act as one to protect the interests of the Union. Equipment will be eligible for purchase under the new rules only if it relates to at least one of the following purposes: - non-intrusive inspection;
- indication of hidden objects on humans;
- radiation detection and nuclide identification;
- analysis of samples in laboratories;
- sampling and field analysis of samples;
- handheld search.
Possible equipment that Member States could purchase, maintain or upgrade include scanners, automated number plate detection systems, teams of sniffer dogs and mobile laboratories for sample analysis. The customs equipment made available under this fund can also be used for other compliance controls such as visa and police provisions where applicable, maximising their impact. The instrument will also support the purchase or upgrade of customs control equipment for testing new pieces or new conditions on the ground before Member States start large-scale purchases of new equipment. | 
