Financial support from external funding bodies
To expand its operations, Swedish Customs is seeking financial support from external funding bodies. Examples of external funding bodies include the Internal Security Fund, the Customs Control Equipment Instrument and the Customs Programme. The European Commission co-finances 75–100% of Swedish Customs’ eligible costs in projects that are granted funding.
Internal Security Fund
Swedish Customs is seeking financial support for various projects through the Internal Security Fund. Financing from the Fund is intended to strengthen the EU’s internal security by, among other things, combating terrorism and radicalisation, serious and organised crime, and cybercrime.
The Internal Security Fund is managed by the Swedish Police Authority.
The Internal Security Fund for 2021-2027 – Swedish Police Authority (in Swedish)
Purchase of detection vehiclas for CBRNE operations
Between 2022 and 2025, using financing from the Internal Security Fund, Swedish Customs purchased new detection vehicles for CBRNE operations. The new detection vehicles strengthen Swedish Customs’ ability to detect hazardous substances right at the EU’s internal and external borders.
The project involves purchasing detection vehicles with associated equipment and training customs personnel in the operation of the detection vehicles.
Project reference number: ISFBMVI/12/2022
Procurement and development of data analysis platform
In 2025, Swedish Customs was granted funding from the Internal Security Fund for the procurement and development of its new data analysis platform. The funding from the Fund amounts to 75% of Swedish Customs’ eligible costs.
Project reference number: ISFBMVI/9/2025
Operational support for Swedish Customs staff seconded to Berlin and Europol
Swedish Customs has been awarded funding from the Internal Security Fund for the project ‘Operational support for Swedish Customs staff seconded to Berlin and Europol’ for the period 2023–2026.
Swedish Customs has stationed a liaison officer in Berlin since September 2021 as part of the PTN cooperation. The Nordic Police and Customs Cooperation (PTN) has been in place since the mid-1980s. The result of this cooperation is the joint PTN liaison officers who represent all Nordic police and customs public agencies in dealings with the host country’s law enforcement authorities. In Germany, there are areas of cooperation that are both strategically and operationally important for Swedish Customs, not least because Germany is a major transit country. The German customs authority is a large customs organisation with extensive powers, making German Customs an important partner. The liaison officer acts as a link between the law enforcement authorities in the Nordic countries and Germany, as well as a contact person for all Nordic customs and police organisations and the host country’s law enforcement authorities.
Since 1996, Swedish Customs has had a Swedish liaison officer stationed at the Swedish desk at Europol in The Hague, the Netherlands. The Swedish desk is a joint liaison office comprising liaison officers from the Police, the Security Service and Swedish Customs, as well as two locally employed staff members. The office acts as a link between the law enforcement public agencies in Sweden and Europol, as well as liaison offices from other countries at Europol, which serves as the hub for information exchange between law enforcement public agencies from Europe and other parts of the world.
Swedish Customs has seconded a national expert to Europol in The Hague, Netherlands, from September 2021. At Europol, the expert is posted to the Operations Directorate, O2 European Serious Organised Crime Centre (ESOCC), as a Seconded National Expert (SNE).
Project reference number: ISFBMVI/24/2022
Operational support for Swedish Customs officers posted to Belgrade and Warsaw
In 2025, Swedish Customs was awarded further funding from the Internal Security Fund for the project ‘Operational support for Swedish Customs officers posted to Belgrade and Warsaw’, which runs from 2025 to 2029.
Swedish Customs has posted a liaison officer to Belgrade and Warsaw, respectively, within the framework of the PTN cooperation (PTN: Nordic Police and Customs Cooperation, which has been in operation since the mid-1980s). The result of this cooperation is the joint PTN liaison officers who represent all Nordic police and customs public agencies in dealings with the host country’s law enforcement authorities. These countries offer areas of cooperation that are both strategically and operationally important for Swedish Customs, not least because Serbia and co-accredited countries have strong links to organised crime in Sweden. Poland is a major transit country, and in some cases the country of origin, for some restricted goods. Furthermore, its proximity to Ukraine is an important factor in light of the ongoing conflict. The Polish police and customs authorities have extensive powers, making them key partners.
The deployment of a liaison officer in Poland and Serbia helps to coordinate the exchange of information and investigations (facilitating ongoing criminal investigations, assisting with controlled deliveries and in cases of requests for mutual legal assistance) as well as requests under the Naples II Convention for Swedish Customs and the law enforcement authorities of the other Nordic countries. This is expected to strengthen and streamline Swedish Customs'/Sweden's international cooperation in combating cross-border organised crime in accordance with national and international law, conventions and agreements.
The liaison officer is expected to maintain good contact with relevant public agencies in the country, thereby simplifying and facilitating cooperation between countries. This is expected to strengthen and streamline Swedish Customs'/Sweden's cooperation in combating cross-border organised crime in accordance with national and international law, conventions and agreements. The liaison officer is expected to maintain good contact with relevant public agencies in the country and act as a facilitator.
Project reference number: ISFBMVI/7/2025
Customs Control Equipment Instrument
Procurement of customs control equipment
Swedish Customs was awarded a grant (80%) for the purchase of two mobile scanners to be stationed in Svinesund and Gävle respectively, and for two instruments for Swedish Customs’ laboratory under the first work programme for 2021–2022.
Grant Agreement-101075404-2021-SE-BCROSS
Grant Agreement-101075403-2021-SE-LAB
Customs programme
The Customs programme is an action programme for customs matters in the EU and was established in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 2021/444 of the European Parliament and of the Council for the period 2021–2027. The programme is administered by the European Commission in close cooperation with the EU Member States.
The Customs programme partially funds Swedish Customs’ participation in meetings, seminars and project and working groups within the EU. For the period 2025–2027, Swedish Customs has been allocated €351,000 for activities funded with support from the European Commission’s Customs Programme.
