We've got loads of new info on Hi-Sec POCOs, from CCP SoniClover.

If you checked our coverage of the new EVE Online expansion Rubicon, then you know that changes are coming to Customs Offices. To elaborate, CCP SoniClover of CCP Games gives us plenty of specifics on how the new hi-sec POCOs (Player-Owned Customs Offices) will function:

InterBus Corporation
Customs Offices in empire space (0.5 security status and above) will become owned and operated by InterBus, an NPC corporation. Anyone can shoot at them and, if one is destroyed, players can put down a gantry and build their own Customs Office. Existing restrictions on Customs Offices will remain (like in the Jita solar system).

Legal Attacks
Once a POCO is in place, players can make a legal attack only if they're at war with the owning corporation. Attacking without an active war on the owner will bring CONCORD intervention. Customs Offices will now have a value on Kill Reports, meaning for instance that if the owning corporation has a bounty, then destroying their Customs Office will pay out bounty.

Ownership Transfer
A corporation that owns a Customs Office cannot transfer ownership of a POCO if they are at war or have a war pending. This does not apply to transferring ownership to another corporation. in the same Alliance as the owner (as the war will still cover those).

Customs Office Controls
POCOs in hi sec will give the owner the exact same controls as POCOs in low sec – the owner can set the tax rate as he wants and can have different tax rates based on standings. This includes denying access. While this can be used to stifle imports, it can never fully stop exports as they can be launched directly into space.

New Skill: "Customs Code Expertise"
The NPC tax will continue for hi-sec POCOs. The tax rate stays the same, at 10% for export and 5% for import. This is then in addition to whatever tax the player owner sets. CCP is introducing a new trainable skill, Customs Code Expertise, which will reduce the NPC portion of the tax rate at -10% per level (so at level 5 the NPC export tax rate will be 5% rather than 10%). Note: This skill only affects the NPC portion of the tax, not the player owner tax.

Base Tax Change
CCP is also adjusting the tax base values for commodities, last set 2 years ago:

                 Current      New             % change
Basic          500              400              -20.00%
Refined      9,000           7,200            -20.00%
Special       70,000         60,000          -14.29%
Advanced   1,350,000    1,200,000     -11.11%

(For more info on the general function fo Customs Offices, check out the official guide.)

Happy about the changes? Discuss in the comments below!

Colt "ShdwFlm" Casey
Deputy Edtior