In Search of a Compromise

The parliamentary press service several years covered the work of the working group on improving the norms of the Customs Code, adopted in 2000. It has become particularly active in the last few months. Here is the final meeting of the working Group.

Despite the final nature of the work, questions to the provisions of the new edition of the Customs Code remained. In particular, they concerned the procedure for temporary importation, and more specifically, the possibility of extending the deadline for this customs regime. Producers often use this regime, using the business partners provided by them from abroad with equipment. According to the draft document, the Government will have the right to extend the terms of temporary admission. Representatives of business considering that it will take a long time, would like these functions to be given to the State Customs Committee for a more prompt resolution of the matter. Deputy Chairman of the State Customs Committee Alexei Lipovtsev considers this inappropriate, arguing that the developers of the new edition of the Customs Code tried to avoid the subjective approach in this issue from the customs inspectors, direct interaction between the SCC and its customers.

Representatives of the business expressed the desire to fix in the document the possibility of storing the cargoes delivered to their address not only in warehouses, special areas, but also in cargo compartments of cars (trailers). Members of the working group agreed with this proposal.

There was no agreement, so it is in the rates of fees for the production of customs procedures and the provision of services by customs authorities. Now it is 0.18 dollars from the customs value of the goods being transported. The SCC was asked to increase them to $ 0.36, then agreed to $ 0.3. Producers offered their own, as they believe, compromise option - $ 0.25. The "game" for raising the rates for the SCC is very important, taking into consideration the fact that the financing of the activities of the committee is carried out from the trust fund, which is formed from the deductions from customs clearance. Both sides can be understood: customs officers want to further improve their material and technical base, business representatives believe that the state of the economic crisis is not the most convenient time to raise rates for customs clearance, which will negatively affect their financial position. At the same time, both customs officers and production workers are convinced that by definition they should be partners. Their joint work depends on each other: more will be exported and imported by economic agents - customs will more work. The business executives suppose at the expense of turnover, not at the expense of raising the rates of fees for the production of customs procedures.

Today, deputies interfere in the dispute between customs and business at the meeting of the Supreme Council's Committee on Economic Policy, Budget and Finance. The final decision on the content of the new Customs Code is to be taken by the Deputy corps at one of the next plenary sessions. Its norms after the signing of the document by the head of state and official publication will come into effect January 1, 2018.