Ukrainian president signs decree to combat smuggling at customs

A respective document entitled "On measures to counter smuggling and corruption during the customs clearance of goods" was published on the website of the head of state on Tuesday, July 9.

It notes that the decree was signed to increase the effectiveness of countering smuggling and corruption during the customs clearance of goods imported into the customs territory of Ukraine and increasing the level of business confidence in state bodies.

According to the decree, the Cabinet of Ministers was tasked with creating an information resource on the single web portal of executive government bodies to enable the voluntary and public declaration of goods of a large number of items imported into the customs territory of Ukraine in one batch and to publish monthly reports on the results of the implementation of a pilot project on avoiding evasion from the payment of customs duties.

In addition, the government should consider the issue of disclosure in the format of open data of impersonal information about the customs value of goods moving across the customs border of Ukraine and establish a system of exchange of information in real time with the relevant information systems of other states regarding the customs clearance of goods transported through Ukraine's customs border.

The Cabinet of Ministers should also take measures by January 1, 2020, to ensure proper interaction between guarantors issuing financial guarantees to ensure the payment of customs duties and revenue and fee bodies in accordance with the requirements of the Customs Code.

The decree orders the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) to submit for consideration by the NSDC the issues of the establishment of an interagency commission on combating smuggling and corruption at the customs, which should subsequently develop a program to combat smuggling and corruption during the customs clearance of goods.

According to the decree, the NSDC should also set up a phone line for reports on cases of smuggling and corruption during the customs clearance of goods, as well as about actions that have signs of evasion from the payment of customs duties.

The decree comes into force on the day following the day of its publication.

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