Issues of improving customs regulation in the Eurasian Economic Union, trade facilitation based on legal instruments and measures of the World Customs Organization (WCO), as well as prospects for implementing the Strategic Directions for Developing the Eurasian Economic integration until 2025 in terms of cooperation with the WCO were discussed in Brussels (Belgium) by Maksat Mamytkanov, Minister in charge of Customs Cooperation of the Eurasian Economic Commission, and Kunio Mikuriya, Secretary General of the WCO.
"The EEC, having an Observer status, consistently continues the policy of building mutually beneficial relations with the WCO and, in accordance with the main directions of the EAEU's international activity, participates in meetings of the WCO working bodies to explore the best practices and promote the Union's experience in customs regulations", Maksat Mamytkanov stressed.
At the WCO headquarters, Maksat Mamytkanov acquainted the Secretary General with the progress made by the EEC and the Union countries on modernizing the Customs Code, developing the EAEU transit potential and using navigation seals in the Union. They discussed prospects for efficient implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding between the EEC and the WCO, joint actions with the Member States aimed at obtaining the WCO Member status by the Union, and the Union’s possibility to join the WCO fundamental documents as part of implementing the Strategy-2025.
At the same time, the sides discussed digitizing and introduction of promising customs technologies into the modern customs as well as organizing a secure supply chain based on the data usage.
Maksat Mamytkanov and Kunio Mikuriya noted the meeting’s positive results and expressed their intention to continue interaction.
During his visit to Brussels, Maksat Mamytkanov attended the meetings of the WCO Standing Technical Committee, where a number of sensitive issues were discussed. The key topics of the meetings were improving customs administration tools, data exchange for customs purposes, the WCO data model, interaction between customs authorities and ports, trade facilitation, and reporting on the progress made by the WCO working bodies.
