Customs procedures in Customs Union as simplified as possible

VITEBSK, 15 March (BelTA) – Customs procedures in the Customs Union are as simplified as possible, Head of the Federal Customs Service of the Russian Federation Andrei Belyaninov told a press conference on 15 March. “There are no borders between Belarus and Russia. There are no customs borders between Russia and Kazakhstan. Maximum facilitation of procedures within the framework of the customs space has been enabled,” said the official. He believes it is now important to improve customs procedures at external borders of the Customs Union while taking into account economic interests of all the member states. He said the fact that the Customs Union member states border on brotherly countries and that Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are interested in being part of the union should be borne in mind. Ukraine takes a lively interest in the process. Andrei Belyaninov said: “We are now working to simplify the procedures. However, simplification does not equal annulment”. About 15 matters were discussed at the session of the united board of the customs services of the Customs Union member states in Vitebsk on 15 March. Improvement of customs operations for transit air passengers was discussed. The fulfillment of the Customs Union Commission resolution on introducing mandatory preliminary information sharing for cargoes imported by road was discussed along with information interaction between the customs services of the Customs Union member states for the sake of controlling common customs processes. A protocol was signed to amend the agreement on paying and transferring export customs duties on crude oil and certain derivatives, which are exported from the Republic of Belarus outside the Customs Union. The heads of the customs services of Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine discussed main avenues of cooperation during the European football championship in 2012 and signed a trilateral memorandum of intent to take care of the matters relating to interaction during the football championship.

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