On the 10th of October 2014 in Przemyśl, Poland International forum of customs briokers was held, where participated direction and representatives of the Association of customs brokers of Ukraine, the Association of customs brokers and expeditores of the Republic of Poland (PICLIS), representatives of the Association „Ukrzovnishtrans”, representatives of customs authority of the Republic of Poland, State fiscal service of Ukraine, famous customs brokers companies of Ukraine and Poland.
The Forum was opened by the Head of advisory board of customs authority of Poland Wieslav Czyżowicz. He mentioned that the main target of the Forum is experience interchange and possibility to accept common practices by both Parties-participants.
Bartosz Gruszecki, the Head of the Customs Office in Przemyśl, proposed to create a “Single window” between Poland and Ukraine, that will provide a single procedure of customs clearance at the border.
Ewa Gwardzinska the representative of SGH (school of economics in Warsaw) provided participants with detailed information as for Authorized economic operator institution (AEO) of Poland. The main criteria for getting AEO status is the following: compliance with customs and tax requirements (for AEO representatives as well), possibility of control fulfillment, liquidity of the enterprise.
There are three main types of AEO certificates, — AEOc (customs simplifications), AEOs (security and safety), AEOf (customs simplifications/security and safety).
On the EU market AEOf certificates prevail, but in Poland most of certificates are of AEOf type.
The main benefits of AEO certificates:
• Less verifications of goods and documents;
• Certificate is valid in any country of the EU;
• Possibility to have customs control anywhere;
• AEOs certificates are valid in third countries as well (if there is an agreement);
• AEOf certificates are valid in the USA;
• Customs authorities trust AEO. There is a system of “single window” for them;
• If there is a necessity to make a money deposit which is not obligatory, AEO have a chance not to do it;
The main disadvantage of AEO certificate is:
• Absence of common (single) approach of the EU countries to infringements and sanctions.
Speciality of AEO status is that it is given to organization, not a physical person.
In the following cases AEO status could be recalled:
• Violations of the legislation are found;
• If there are problems with liquidity of organization.
Representatives of Polish customs authorities have given the information of the total quantity of customs brokers in Poland (those who passed examinations), — it is 10500 persons. The number of active customs brokers is 3500 persons.
State fiscal service of Ukraine was represented by Dmytro Shalamai, chief inspector of public-private partnership in the field of customs and logistics. He gave information as for normative-legal regulation of customs brokers’ activity, particularities of licensing of customs brokers activity in Ukraine, state control on the activity of customs brokers in Ukraine and conditions of receiving AEO status in Ukraine.
Ukrainian party mentioned the main difficulties in receiving AEO status in Ukraine and explained why the scheme of receiving it actually is not working.
Representatives of Ukrtransagent exchanged contacts with Polish party and are going to conduct such meetings systematically in the future, keep in touch and exchange interesting and important information for both parties forming the partnership.
Basing on the results of the Forum, Resolution was adopted, to which the participants of the Forum included their propositions as for ongoing cooperation with Polish partners. Ukrainian party is going to cooperate actively with the representatives of the Association of customs brokers and expeditors of Poland, which will cause effective informational exchange between customs authorities of the countries and implementation to Ukrainian legislation of the main European customs standards. It will cause determining effect on the work of customs brokers of neighbor countries.