The core responsibilities of the Austrian Customs Administration are promoting the economy and facilitating international trade. The Customs Administration is a member of the European Customs Union. The tax and customs authorities of the Federal Ministry of Finance protect the financial interests of the public sector to prevent losses to the national economy. Their activities include checks aimed at safeguarding public health and safety, customs clearance of goods, collecting community duties and charges, protection of species, and combating fiscal evasion, black labour and smuggling. New impulses to combat fraud have been created by internal reorganisation, the formation of new networks at national and international level, and establishing new institutions, like the Risk, Information and Analysis Centre (RIA). New methods employed by criminals and/or criminal groups, and targeted attacks on financial interests and the member states economies present the Austrian Customs Administration and the services responsible for combating fraud with new challenges. To this end, it is vital to further enhance and intensify national and international cooperation between the authorities concerned.