A new tender to develop customs transit systems highlights how digital platforms are reshaping border processes and EU regulatory compliance.
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Nemzeti Adó- és Vámhivatal has launched a contract notice for the development and support of its New Computerized Transit System (NCTS) Phase 6 and other customs professional systems. The move signals a new phase in digital customs transit, aimed at meeting EU specifications while reflecting national operational needs.
On 3rd December 2025, Nemzeti Adó- és Vámhivatal published a notice for Customs System Development Services. The authority is seeking services to develop and support NCTS Phase 6 alongside other customs professional systems, with a clear objective: to comply with EU specifications and address national requirements.
NCTS is described in the notice as the New Computerized Transit System. By specifying “Phase 6”, the authority signals that it is preparing for the next generation of this transit platform, rather than a simple technical refresh. The inclusion of support services, not only development, points to a long-term relationship in which the supplier will help run, maintain and evolve these systems once they are in live use.
The reference to “other customs professional systems” is significant. It suggests that NCTS will not sit in isolation but will be part of a wider ecosystem of customs applications. Bringing these under a single development and support contract could make it easier to coordinate changes, manage interfaces and respond to new policy or regulatory demands.
Although the notice is concise, its focus on EU specifications underlines the strategic role of these platforms. Customs IT now shapes how goods in transit are processed, how data on those flows is shared, and how quickly authorities can respond to risks while keeping trade moving.
The explicit aim of meeting “EU specifications and national needs” places this procurement in a wider pattern of cross-border system upgrades. Across 2025, a series of notices show administrations reshaping their core platforms around EU-level requirements.
In September 2025, the Ministry of Finance of Montenegro’s Directorate for Finance, Contracting and Implementation of the EU Assistance Funds issued a contract notice for a Customs Information System Upgrade. That project will upgrade the national Customs Information System to integrate the EU Automated Export System (AES) and Import Control System (ICS2), enhancing electronic management of export and import processes and ensuring compliance with EU customs regulations.
Similarly, in October 2025, Dyrektor Urzędu Morskiego w Gdyni published a notice for Adjustment of National Single Window System. The buyer is seeking programming work to align the National Single Window system with new requirements of the European Maritime Single Points of Contact system, again driven by EU regulations.
Maritime transport is also in focus elsewhere. In December 2025, Pristanishtna Infrastruktura DP (transliteration of “ПРИСТАНИЩНА ИНФРАСТРУКТУРА ДП”) launched a procurement for an Upgrade of Maritime Document Management System, aimed at expanding the functionalities and data processing scope of the National Center for Electronic Document Management of Maritime Transport to comply with EU regulations. The work covers system analysis, software implementation, testing, training and warranty support.
Customs administrations themselves are modernising their back-office platforms. In October 2025, Generální ředitelství cel published a notice for Support for Customs and Tax System. The project involves the takeover, further development and technical support of the Central Customs and Tax Evidence System, which manages customs duties, import taxes and historical data through eight modules.
Also in October 2025, Agentsia “Mitnitsi” (transliteration of “АГЕНЦИЯ \"МИТНИЦИ\"”) issued a notice on Software Licenses and Architecture Development. That procurement covers software licences, maintenance rights and the development of the technological architecture for the Customs Agency across a range of software products, including OpenText, IBM Cognos, PostgreSQL and MS SQL Server, and provides for support and updates over defined periods.
Taken together, these projects – transit (NCTS), export (AES), import (ICS2) and maritime single windows – show a steady push to align national systems with evolving EU-level digital frameworks. Nemzeti Adó- és Vámhivatal’s NCTS Phase 6 project is one more piece in that emerging mosaic.
NCTS 6 is not unique to a single administration. In December 2025, carinska uprava published a contract notice for NCTS 6 System Support Services. That project requires development and implementation management support for the new NCTS 6 system, underlining that moving to the new phase is a complex undertaking rather than a routine upgrade.
Both the carinska uprava and Nemzeti Adó- és Vámhivatal notices stress external expertise not just to build software but to support its introduction and ongoing operation. For suppliers, this points to demand for teams that understand both customs processes and large-scale IT engineering.
Across these notices, certain themes recur, regardless of the specific domain:
That mix appears in tenders as varied as the maritime document management upgrade, which includes testing and training, and the customs tax evidence system, where long-term technical support is a core component. NCTS 6 is becoming another such anchor platform, demanding similar capabilities.
While customs systems may look inward, they also help define the experience of businesses and travellers. How traders file transit data, how authorities share information with one another, and how quickly decisions are taken increasingly depend on these digital platforms.
Elsewhere, authorities are putting user interaction at the centre of system design. In September 2025, the City Hall of Sector 3 in Bucharest launched a notice for Custom Software Development for Citizen Interaction. The project aims to extend an existing citizen interaction platform by developing new interoperability modules, improving communication and electronic services for civil society.
In June 2025, Český telekomunikační úřad published a notice on Support and Development for CTU Tool, seeking service support, maintenance and development of a comparison tool for electronic communication services. That system is designed to help users compare prices and quality, making regulatory information more accessible.
Border infrastructure is being rethought in similar terms. In October 2025, UM 0929 Bucuresti issued a notice for an Integrated IT System for Airports, covering security and transit through national civil airports. In June 2025, Izba Administracji Skarbowej w Krakowie tendered for Scanner Installation and Commissioning of a new computed tomography scanner for hand luggage inspection at Krakow Airport, including additional equipment, tests, measurements and training.
Urban mobility projects show a similar digital turn. In June 2025, Obshtina Gabrovo (transliteration of “ОБЩИНА ГАБРОВО”) launched a procurement for an Electronic Fare Collection System for public transport, including mobile applications and associated equipment. In July 2025, Druskininkų savivaldybės administracija sought services for a Unified Electronic Ticket System and passenger information system across several municipalities.
In September 2025, Municipiul Brasov issued a notice for an Integrated Computer System for Toll Collection and transport management, while in October 2025 Primaria Municipiului Zalau tendered for ITS and ICT Systems for Zalău, combining ticketing, passenger information, traffic management and surveillance infrastructure.
The customs transit systems now being upgraded sit within this broader trend: public authorities redesigning their digital interfaces with businesses and citizens, and looking for end-to-end solutions that link back-office processes with user-facing channels.
Another strong theme is data centralisation and information sharing. In June 2025, Compania Nationala de Administrare a Infrastructurii Rutiere S.A. advertised National Traffic Management Center IT Services, seeking application development and IT solutions for data collection and centralisation to improve data exchange among traffic management centres and relevant authorities.
Educational and research institutions are moving the same way. In August 2025, Univerzita Komenského v Bratislave tendered for an Electronic Document Management System to deliver, install and implement a certified electronic system for managing paper and electronic documents at Comenius University, with technical support and interoperability with existing systems.
In November 2025, Federatia Romana de Sah launched a project for Integrated Information System Development, a turnkey implementation of an integrated system to improve information sharing, automate processes and support decision-making.
The health sector is not far behind. In August 2025, Wojskowy Instytut Medyczny – Państwowy Instytut Badawczy sought suppliers for IT System Development for Digital Medicine, covering development, implementation and launch of an IT system for a Regional Center for Digital Medicine and a Clinical Trial Management System, including integration services, user training and maintenance.
Transport management is also being reshaped. In September 2025, Statutární město Jihlava published a notice for an Active Traffic Management System to develop and implement a new information system for a Central Technical Dispatching centre, including maintenance services, hardware and licences. In August 2025, Dopravní společnost Zlín-Otrokovice, s.r.o. launched a project for a Digital System for Public Transport, modernising an intelligent transport system through upgraded onboard computers and a digital communication network.
These projects, together with Nemzeti Adó- és Vámhivatal’s NCTS Phase 6 tender, show public bodies investing in platforms that centralise information, connect siloed systems and provide a foundation for more data-driven decision-making.
The NCTS Phase 6 procurement by Nemzeti Adó- és Vámhivatal will be worth watching as details of the successful bid, scope and implementation timetable emerge. Its focus on both development and support suggests that the authority is planning for sustained change rather than a one-off upgrade.
Across customs, maritime transport and border management, the clustering of similar contract notices through 2025 indicates that further tenders are likely as administrations bring their national systems into line with EU specifications. How these projects are delivered – and how well they serve businesses and citizens in practice – will shape the next stage of Europe’s digital public services.
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