Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman on Wednesday discussed the start of the U.S. mission to assess the needs in reforming Ukrainian customs offices with a delegation of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Spokesman for the prime minister Dmytro Stoliarchuk wrote on his Twitter page that 11 experts of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection have arrived to Kyiv under an invitation of the prime minister to prepare the reform of the Ukrainian customs office.
The press service of Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers reported the mission would work in Ukraine until July 11. The action plan for the reform would be drafted and its implementation would begin.
“The prime minister proposed to hold a wrap-up meeting on July 11 to determine further cooperation plans,” the government’s press service said.
At the meeting with the U.S. delegation Groysman said that making order at the Ukrainian customs offices is a top priority for the Ukrainian government.
“I want to confirm the government’s commitment, and my personal commitment as a prime minister, to make order at the Ukrainian customs offices. We would do with you as partners and with your support,” Groysman said.
The Ukrainian prime minister said that attention should be paid to smuggling, as well as collisions in legislation which give rise to the so-called third means of smuggling – transportation of small batches of goods without customs clearing.Commenting on the goals of the customs reforms, Groysman said equipment at the checkpoints should be modernized. In particular, scanners, video surveillance systems, modern systems to react to infringements should be installed and software should be upgraded. The exchange of database information with the customs offices of neighboring countries should be introduced, staff of the customs service should be reshuffled and their responsibility would be increased. High-quality service for business and citizens at customs checkpoints should be provided.
Groysman said that the U.S. mission faces the tasks of quickly assessing the state of affairs and the needs of the Ukrainian customs offices, to define technical devices required to modernize them, criteria for training of staff and drawing the reform action plan. He expressed hope that the action plan would be drafted by the middle of August.
First Deputy Prime Minister and Economic Development and Trade Minister of Ukraine Stepan Kubiv, Finance Minister Oleksandr Danyliuk, Head of the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine Roman Nasirov and First Deputy Head of the State Border Service of Ukraine Vasyl Servatiuk took part in the meeting with the U.S. delegation.
