GUAM to Simplify Customs Control

Members of GUAM (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova) discussed the draft protocol for the implementation of the Facilitate Trade and Transport (FTT) project in Baku on July 8.

According to the head of the Customs Co-operation of the Department of International Relations of the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine, Oleg Semenenko, this protocol will create favorable conditions for the development of foreign trade and transport facilitation.

“Mutual recognition of the results of customs controls will help to accelerate customs procedures and their simplification,” said Semenenko. He also mentioned that at present the protocol requires some minor corrections, after which it will be submitted for final discussion.

“It is very important to recognize the separate customs inspection results due to the fact that some member countries of GUAM have no direct borders,” said Valeri Chechelashvili, Secretary General of GUAM.

The main topics of the FTT are: legislation improvement and harmonization, GUAM countries’ borders and customs empowerment; the fight against terrorism, cross-border crime, smuggling and violation of customs regulations and illegal migration; the harmonization of border and customs control and their clearance according to international standards; intellectual property protection; and information system creation. These aim to will reduce the border control time and increase efficiency while improving the quality of staff checkpoints and ensuring the interoperability of transit systems.