Belarusian customs of the 21st century

BELARUSIAN CUSTOMS OF THE XXI CENTURY

We live in a rapidly changing world. International trade is a key driver for economic growth and development. It raises living standards in both developed and developing countries, contributes to the reduction of poverty as well as creates a more stable, secure and peaceful world. International trade is governed by the rules of the regional and multilateral trading systems, preferential trade arrangements and national governments.

The organization which is responsible for establishing such rules, collecting taxes paid on goods entering or leaving a country as well as for preventing threat from illegal trafficking in prohibited and restricted goods is called Сustoms.

The traditional Customs responsibilities of collecting duties and taxes and preventing smuggling still remain with us but Customs cannot afford to ignore the changing world conditions which have a major impact on their work.

Today Customs is an essential instrument for the effective management of an economy. It performs simultaneously the vital roles of combating smuggling and facilitating the flow of legitimate trade. Governments throughout the world recognize the value of Customs Services in their national economies and realize that the service being provided by Customs is one they cannot easily dispense with. The challenge is to facilitate the international trade process at a minimum cost to economy, and without compromising the collection of revenue or the protection of the community from illegal cross-border movements of goods.

The Belarusian Customs Service carries out the same functions as the customs of other developed countries: fiscal functions, regulation of foreign trade by means of tariff and non-tariff methods, law enforcement, collection and keeping of Customs statistics concerning foreign trade, etc.

The Belorussian Customs organization of the future should be more efficient, more effective and able to provide a better service.

To improve the effectiveness of the Belarusian Customs performance a proper legal environment, Hi-tech equipment, well trained personnel, and simplified procedures are required. Much has already been done by Customs authorities.

The legitimate trade of our country is regulated by the following documents: the Customs Code of the Republic of Belarus, “On Customs Tariff”, a Commodity Nomenclature of Foreign Economic Activity (CNFEA) of the Republic of Belarus.

Today practically all our Customs services are equipped with up-to-date Customs technology. It allows to transmit and receive preliminary electronic information about freight, its transfer and its storage and at the same time to speed up the customs process.

A special Call Centre has been set up to answer all general enquiries from clients by employing experienced Customs officers and supporting their experience with a computer based business support tool which covers details like exchange rates, tariff, publications, contracts, prohibitions, etc.

The key priority for Customs today is to maintain revenue. It means to collect the due amount of tax and duty at the right time and protect legitimate trade from unfair competition. The management of revenue can be improved by:

• assuring the accuracy of declarations;
• keeping to a minimum the outstanding revenue debt;
• identifying tax avoidance opportunities and taking the appropriate corrective actions;
• improving the timeliness and accuracy of collection, accounting and repayment of duties, levies and taxes.

Apart from its fiscal function Customs' responsibility is to protect our society by the enforcement of prohibitions and restrictions on the international movement of goods while minimizing the impact of illicit trade and international travel. Particular emphasis is put on commercial smuggling and disrupting the international supply of drugs.

Another sphere of Customs activity is trade statistics. The aim is to compile and supply trade statistics of the right quality to a timetable which meets the needs of users with the minimum inconvenience of businesses.

Whatever the Customs individual goals and objectives, all Customs administrations need professional staff who are experts in the fields concerned. They should possess consistent enthusiasm, dedication and loyality. Outstanding leadership qualities and total commitment are also required.

More attention should be given to developing and maintaining the ability of future professionals to work as a team. It means that a greater emphasis should be placed on interpersonal skills such as active listening, stating ideas freely, making decisions democratically, accepting responsibilities for one's behavior, sharing tasks, trying to understand others' perspectives etc. Developing and using these skills helps group members to trust, accept, and support each other, to communicate accurately and effectively, and to resolve conflicts constructively. At the same time technical competence will continue to be essential. They should have a greater awareness and understanding of the Customs organization’s goals and vision and will be able to plan and prioritize accordingly.

multilateral – многосторонний

preferential trade arrangements – льготные торговые меры

dispense with – обойтись без

without compromising the collection of revenue or the protection of the community from illegal cross-border movements of goods – не ставя под угрозу сбор дохода или защиту сообщества от незаконных международных перемещений товаров.

preliminary – предварительный

outstanding revenue debt – невыплаченный долг, непогашенная задолженность

disrupt – разрушать