The main event of the second day of the International Customs Forum was the plenary session “BRICS: New Opportunities and Prospects for the Development of Customs Cooperation in the Context of Global Transformations”.
The Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation Anton Siluanov addressed the participants with a welcoming speech.
"The Russian customs system is one of the leading institutions that actively interacts with partner countries and, first and foremost, the BRICS countries. This makes it possible to improve the administration of customs duties, quickly respond to external threats and bring business conditions closer together," he said.
Deputy Head of the Federal Customs Service of Russia Vladimir Ivin emphasized that customs services should now become more active against the backdrop of the agreements of the BRICS countries in Kazan. According to him, the most important areas of work will be in the framework of intellectualization and digitalization of customs infrastructure, law enforcement cooperation, institutional development and AEO.
He also identified the development of unified approaches to controlling trade in CITES species, combating illegal financial flows, drug trafficking, and protecting intellectual property as common key tasks.
Vladimir Ivin believes that areas for strengthening customs cooperation that are promising for discussion at future summits include the creation and expansion of international transport corridors supported by customs technologies and the possibility of harmonizing approaches to the risk management system.
“If we could agree within the BRICS framework to create a zone where unified approaches to transit are applied, this would be a breakthrough decision,” said Vladimir Ivin.
Also, as part of the business program, a round table was held entitled “Institute of Origin of Goods – Alignment of the Interests of the State and Business,” in which Deputy Head of the Federal Customs Service of Russia Sergey Shklyaev took part.
He noted that the main achievements in this area in recent times have been the definition of a unified procedure for issuing certificates of origin and the consolidation of the possibility of using electronic databases.
The experts discussed pressing issues related to confirmation of the origin of goods when they are delivered to the Russian Federation through third countries and assistance to Russian participants in foreign economic activity, preliminary decisions on the origin of goods, and interdepartmental cooperation. It was noted that maintaining a balance between the interests of business and the state is a delicate category where mutually acceptable solutions are needed.
At the panel session “New solutions for accelerating cross-border operations,” forum participants discussed accelerating cross-border trade processes through the development of technologies, creating a single control and supervisory space, and increasing the efficiency of interaction between customs and business.
"Currently, the customs service can be assessed as effective by businesses and the Government only when our procedures are successfully integrated into business processes and logistics processes for the movement of goods. All customs authorities are focused on this," emphasized Vladimir Ivin, Deputy Head of the Federal Customs Service of Russia, noting that a single digital platform will be created in the near future for regulatory authorities and interested parties when moving goods through checkpoints.
The forum participants also considered current issues of cross-border e-commerce administration. During the round table, experts noted that the growing availability of online shopping requires high-quality administration of the "electronic" flow of goods and improvement of customs regulation mechanisms.
This year, members of 25 international organizations, more than 1,500 representatives of federal government bodies, the business community and entrepreneurial associations, as well as Russian and foreign experts in the field of foreign economic activity took part in the events of the business program and interactive exhibition exposition.