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The aim of the Federal Customs Service cooperation with international organizations is to upgrade the Russian Customs Service, as well as promote its interests in the world customs community.
One of the significant results of its activity at the World Customs Organization (WCO) is its becoming in 2007 member of Policy Commission of the WCO which is responsible for key decisions of the Organization.
Russian Customs Service was acknowledged the best customs service in the world in 2008 at the 11th WCO Council session in terms of struggle agains t intellectual property rights offence.
By 2008 the FCS provided joining of the Russian Federation the WCO recommendations:
- On the necessity of development and strengthening of customs administrations position in the field of struggle against money structuring and legalization of income, gained by illegal means.
- On transboundary ecological offence control.
Customs s International activity in 2009 will be aimed at further development of the Russian FCS cooperation with the WCO, providing its representatives participation in the work of the WCO.
During 2008 the Russian FCS s activity was aimed at the development and intensification of cooperation with the European Union.
Russian FCS opens and develops customs relations with European customs administrations, communities, organizations, recognizing the importance of participation in the formation of collective economic and customs areas. Here another important question is the development of customs cooperation in harmonization and simplification of customs procedure, transit systems of Russian and the European Union compatibility, information sharing, customs infrastructure, consulting and staff training development.
June 19, 2008, Moscow, the 8th Subcommittee Russia-EU meeting on customs and transboundary cooperation took place.
Three priority orientations on the solution of the current problem on the common frontier cooperation were agreed. They are:
- facilitation of mutual trade through development and taking legal, administrative and practical measures on the Russia-EU border situation settlement;
- realization of customs information sharing pilot project;
- development of check points and customs infrastructure at the border between Russia and the EU.
Transit problems were also discussed. Russian national transit system “Transit-2”, compatible with the New Computerised Transit System (NCTS) of the EU, was put into operation.
Implementation of the TACIS Modernization of Customs Transit System project, aimed at facilitation of Russian and EU transit systems harmonization was highly appreciated. Effective date of the project launch is March 31, 2007, expected finishing date is June 30, 2009.
Special attention was attached to preparing customs information sharing between Russia and the EU pilot project, whose realization is to start on January 1, 2009. According to the project, information sharing will be based on data stated in a TIR carnet.
At first the project will be focused on goods flow from the EU to Russia, and then it will be gradually widened with the flow from Russia to the EU.
Besides its comprehensiveness (the project will cover about 70 % of all cargo traffic from the EU to Russia by car), among the advantages of the project are high data protection degree and mutual compatibility of transit systems.
12 states-members of the EU (Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden) participate in the project on a voluntary basis together with the Russian FCS and the Commission of the European Communities (CEC). The pilot project stays open for other EU countries, which can join it anytime.
Today basic documents for information sharing within the pilot project (users requirements and technical specifications) are developed and approved by the working group. Program product testing started on October 1, 2008. By results of the consultations held, it is possible to say that both CEC and most countries-EU members are on full alert and ready to start practical realization.
During 2009 it is intended to finish preparations for the project s realization. Training programs for the Russian FCS officials within the EU are also planned.
Taking into account the task of forming Collective European economic area and the leading position of the EU in Russian internal turnover, the Russian FCS carried out harmonization of basic customs documents (Russian FCD and SAD of the EU countries) and customs transit procedures with the Commission of the European Communities.
One of the main lines of Russian-EU customs cooperation is the development of Russian customs infrastructure at North-West direction. For instance, check points were established on EU s money: May, 2008 Multilateral Car Check Point “Chernyshevskoe” was put into operation at Russian-Lithuanian border, Multilateral Car Check Point “Mamonovo-Gzhetokhi” is being built at Russian-Polish border.
At present text of Memorandum between Government of the Russian Federation and the Commission of the European Communities (CEC) on mutual understanding on financing within the TACIS Program of designing and building of Multilateral Car Check Point Sovetsk at Russian-Lithuanian border is being coordinated.
Proposals to insert into the project the Agreement on strategic Russia-EU cooperation, which is to replace the previous one, are prepared within development of legal basis of the Russian FCS and the EU cooperation. The necessity of a separate trade agreement with the EU on customs cooperation is also regarded.
The Russian FCS and the CEC continue close cooperation in the field of customs infrastructure on the common border development.
According to the Agreement on partnership and cooperation between Russia and the EU customs cooperation of the Russian FCS with the CEC is aimed at harmonization of customs systems of the Parties.
During 2008 the Russian FCS presided at the working g roup of the Council of Barents/Euroarctic region on trade barriers removal. Being Chairman the Russian FCS promoted Russian initiatives on advance information of goods transported in the CBER region sharing, aimed at strengthening of law-enforcement part of cooperation and establishing closer “customs-business” relations.
Within multidirectional foreign policy of the Russian Federation Asia-Pacific region is of an increasing importance, which is connected with Russia being part of this fast developing world region, interested in using its possibilities while implementing programs of economic development of Siberia and the Far East, and also with the necessity of strengthening of regional cooperation. This defines priorities of the Russian FCS customs cooperation in this region on bilateral basis as well as through regional integrated structures of Asia-Pacific region: Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
The Russian FCS worked at the Subcommittee on customs procedures of the Committee on trade and investments of the APEC and also cooperated with the Secretariat of the APEC on concrete directions of affairs in 2008. The Russian FCS plans to renew provisions of the Individual Plan of Action of the Russian Federation at the APEC in 2009.
In 2008 the Russian FCS developed cooperation with the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC)
February 5-6, 2008 the meeting of the Expert working group of the BSEC on customs cooperation, devoted to preparation on the Council of Heads of Customs Services of the BSEC meeting, which was held on March 17-18, 2008 in Kiev (Ukraine), took place in the headquarters of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (Istanbul, the Republic of Turkey). Establishment of cooperation between customs services of the Black Sea region concerning resolutions of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the BSEC, discussion of the possibility of setting mutual advance information sharing, preparation of the Council of Customs Services Heads of the BSEC resolution project, other questions important for strengthening customs cooperation within the BSEC, were on the agenda
Within preparations for the special working group meeting and for the meeting of heads of customs services of states-BSEC members, provided by the Program of the Ukrainian representative office, the Russian FCS carried out work on coordination of the Memorandum on information of goods and vehicles, crossing borders of the states – BSEC members. March 18, 2008, heads of customs services of the countries-BSEC members discussed the possibility of establishing mechanism of advance information sharing based on the Memorandum at the meeting in Kiev. By results of the meeting an application of heads of customs services of the state-BSEC members was signed, in which initiatives of the Russian Customs Service were as well stated.
October 2-3, 2008 in Yalta (Ukraine) a meeting of BSEC working group on customs questions took place. At the meeting an action plan of the BSEC countries for 2008-2010 project, introduced by the Ukrainian Party (coordinator of the working group). Today the most important open question for 2009 is the creation and realization of mechanisms of advance information sharing between customs services of the countries-BSEC members.
In 2008 the Russian FCS (within Russian representation) held two meetings of the working group of Council of Barents/Euroarctic region (CBER) on customs cooperation (June, September). The Russian FCS traditional cooperation with regional international organizations is prolonged.
The Russian FCS heads a working group on customs cooperation within Russian representation at the Council of Barents/Euroarctic region (CBER). On June 5, 2008 the first meeting of the working group of the Council of Barents/Euroarctic region (CBER) devoted to questions of trade barriers overcoming took place. It was attended by chief executives of the CBER among others. The CBER leaders declared this working group one of the best, on top of the partnership in Barents region.
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