The 1st July 2008 marks the 40th anniversary of the European Customs Union. To celebrate this significant event, the European Commission has launched a website dedicated to this topic. The launch of the website marks the beginning of a communication campaign to highlight the important but often invisible role of the Customs Union in protecting citizens and facilitating trade. The campaign brings information to the public about key customs activities such as protection against counterfeit goods, including dangerous fake medicines, foodstuffs and toys. It shows how customs control the movement of chemicals which can be misused and transformed into harmful drugs, how illegal imports of internationally protected and diseased animals is prevented and how legitimate trade is facilitated by the EU customs union. The website is currently available in English. French, German, Italian, Spanish, Polish and Hungarian versions will also be available soon. Check the site for events that will be organised all over Europe to mark the 40th anniversary of the European Customs Union, at: http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/40customs/index_en.htm