INTERNATIONAL TECHNICAL COOPERATION AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
International customs cooperation meets the political and economic interests of the Republic of Belarus and is an important factor in the interaction with global structures.
International customs cooperation is developing in the mood of good neighborly relations and close cooperation, development of compromise decision, constructive mutually beneficial dialogue, which represents the deepening of customs links and reflects the current process of international economic integration.
The Republic of Belarus participates in international cooperation in the sphere of customs regulation in order to harmonize and uniform the legislation with the norms of international law and generally accepted international practice.
In order to develop many-sided cooperation of the Republic of Belarus, improvement of the legal framework, the implementation of international obligations, the customs authorities of the Republic of Belarus cooperate with the customs services of foreign countries, participate in the work of various international organizations and integration associations.
The main objectives of the international customs cooperation:
1. To form the international legal basis;
2. To conduct the meetings and consultations, including the participation in the work of sectoral authorities of managing integration;
3. To participation in the work of international organizations on the issues of customs regulation;
4. To cooperation in the framework of international technical assistance and cross-border cooperation programs.
1. Participation in the integration associations
The most close and fruitful customs cooperation of the Republic of Belarus is conducted in the post-Soviet area in the Union State of Russia and Belarus, the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
Cooperation between customs authorities of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation in the framework of the Union State in the main branches of customs administration is implemented in the framework of the Customs Committee of the Union State functioning.
Customs Committee of the Union State is a sectoral authority of the Union State, carrying out the unification of customs legislation on issues, within the competence of the customs authorities of the member states, as well as the joint organization and management of the customs business in the Union State for ensuring a common procedure and conditions of import of goods and means of transport in the Union State, the export of goods and their transit.
Another integration union in the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union is a Joint board of customs services of the member states of the Customs Union, established in accordance with the Agreement on the Joint board of customs services of the member states of the Customs Union dated 22 June 2011 and currently includes customs services of Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan.
Decisions of the Joint board are made by vote (consensus), each member state of the Eurasian Economic Union has a casting vote. The decision is made if none of the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union did not vote against this decision.
Participation in the work of the Joint board promotes practical cooperation with the customs authorities of the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union in order to conduct a coordinated policy on customs and make deeper customs cooperation, harmonize national customs legislation, ensure the unity of the customs services management.
At the meetings of the Joint board they address the relevant issues of customs cooperation, which later as concerted decisions are put before the Eurasian Economic Commission.
Additionally, it is worth noting the active development of customs cooperation in the post-Soviet area, including in the framework of the CIS. Since the emergence of the CIS customs policies in the framework of the Commonwealth, is one of the main instruments of influence on the dynamics of economic transformation taking place in each member state of the CIS.
In part, it is possible thanks to the functioning of the continuing body of sectoral cooperation of the CIS - Council of heads of customs services of CIS member states, which ensures the coordination of cooperation of the customs services of the CIS member states in the sphere of customs policy. The Council also develops proposals for brining issues for customs affairs for consideration at meetings of the Council of CIS Heads of State, Council of the CIS Heads of Governments, CIS Economic Council.
It should be noted that the main result of the cooperation of customs services in the last couple of years in the work of the Council was the completion of initiated by the Customs Service of the Republic of Belarus inventory of the international legal framework of the CIS member states in the sphere of customs, the results of which determined the international agreements, the effect of which is advisable to stop and the international agreements that require updating by means of making amendments and additions to them.
2. Cooperation with customs services of foreign states
Regarding the international legal framework creation on issues of customs control, it should be noted that it is based on the generally recognized rules and principles of international law, in particular on the provisions of the International Convention on the Simplification and Harmonization of Customs Procedures of May 18, 1973, in the Protocol of 26 June 1999 year (the so-called Kyoto Convention), as well as the standards and rules of the World Customs Organization (WCO), in particular the Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade.
The Republic of Belarus has joined to Kyoto Convention in 2009 and become the 72nd member state.
A fundamental principle of the Convention is to maximize the promotion of international trade by adoption of simplified standard rules and procedures, the widespread introduction of information technologies and establishment of partnerships with law-abiding participants of foreign economic activity.
The rules of the Convention by the establishment of easy-to-understand, uniform in the interpretation and clear for the application of regulatory requirements create conditions for the smooth movement of goods, reducing the time of customs procedures and unification of customs documents, that, as a result, helps to increase trade turnover among the countries, investment attractiveness of the national economies and increase their business activity.
The Convention defined, in order to achieve harmonization and simplification of customs procedures, each Contracting Party assumes responsibilities to assist to such simplification and harmonization through the introduction of standards of the Convention, without requiring of them literal implementation the standards of the Convention in national law.
Thus, all international agreements, the issue of which is conducted by the SCC, meet the international standards and the requirements of international law.
Development of international instruments in the sphere of customs is one of the most important activities of the customs authorities of the Republic of Belarus, the implementation of which depends on the effectiveness of the fulfillment of their tasks.
In particular, international agreements of the Republic of Belarus on cooperation and mutual assistance in customs affairs are the legal basis for cooperation of customs services of the Republic of Belarus with customs authorities of foreign states, as well as the legal basis for the conclusion of international agreements of the interdepartmental character on the various areas of cooperation.
To summarize the provisions and the subject of regulation of such international agreements it can be said that customs authorities under agreements may cooperate and provide mutual assistance in order to: a) ensure the proper application of customs legislation; b) the prevention, investigation and addressing violations of customs legislation; c) assistance in simplification of transit across the customs territory of the Contracting Parties.
The agreements define the order of the supplying and use of information, transfer of documents, conduction of the targeted control over goods and vehicles, the use of the method of controlled delivery to identify the persons involved in committing customs offenses.
Contractual framework expands the legal boundaries of international cooperation, which has a positive effect on the efficiency of fulfillment of the tasks to protect the economic interests of the state.
At present there are about 75 international agreements dealing with the various aspects of customs cooperation. This figure does not include contracts that make up the right of the Eurasian Economic Union on the issues of customs administration.
3. Cooperation with international organizations
Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus of October 30, 2002 № 1504 "About cooperation of the Republic of Belarus with international organizations" defined that the lead agency on cooperation of the Republic of Belarus and the World Customs Organization, and the Administrative Committee for the Customs Convention on International Transport of Goods under Cover of TIR Carnets is the State Customs Committee, whose function is to ensure the effective participation of the republic in the World Customs Organization and the Administrative Committee of the TIR Convention and taking the necessary actions to protect the national interests.
The main objectives of the participation in the work of the Administrative Committee of the TIR Convention are to consider and make amendments to the TIR Convention, to participate in systems of guarantee functioning monitoring of TIR, to promote the initiatives of the Republic of Belarus in part of possibility of the application of additional safeguards, as well as studying the measures taken by the Contracting Parties, within the TIR Convention, to create favorable conditions for transit of goods through the territory of the Republic of Belarus, to ensure the growth of transit volumes and improve transit attractiveness of the Republic of Belarus.
It should be noted the cooperation of the customs service of the Republic of Belarus with the World Customs Organization, which is an intergovernmental international organization which contains the customs services of 180 countries, which account for nearly 98% of world trade.
The Republic of Belarus has become a member of the World Customs Organization on December 16, 1993 and currently is an active member of it, taking advantage of the right to receive some assistance in the framework of the World Customs Organization on customs issues.
In June 2005 at the Council Session of the World Customs Organization the heads of customs services of one hundred and seventy of the world customs services have taken the designed by the World Customs Organization the Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitation of Global Trade (the Framework).
Given the importance of the task, the WCO Secretariat has developed and launched on January 26, 2006 a special program of the staged implementation of the Framework of Standards by WCO member states, called "Columbus".
In 2007 and 2008 under the first phase of the program "Columbus" in the Republic of Belarus the missions of WCO experts were held. On the basis of a very thoughtful comprehensive analysis the experts have noted that the leadership of the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Belarus has done the effective work to improve the functioning of its customs service.
In the second phase of the program "Columbus", the WCO Secretariat has supported the SCC through various workshops in certain areas.
The Republic of Belarus has became the third country in the world which was invited to participate in the final third phase of the program "Columbus" (May 2012), providing monitoring and evaluation of achieved results by the customs service.
At the end of the mission the WCO experts praised the accomplished work of the Republic of Belarus to modernize and improve the customs service of the Republic of Belarus, to simplify the customs procedures, to use information technology and the introduce the electronic declaration system.
The priority of foreign policy of the Republic of Belarus is multilateral diplomacy & effective participation in the activity of international organizations. At the moment the Belarusian state is a member of more than 100 international organizations.
In 1945 Belarus joined the ranks of founders of the United Nations Organization. The republic has always been among the countries which fought to preserve the key role of the UN in maintaining international peace & security.
The evidence of the high international authority of Belarus was the election of the country to a number of elected bodies of the UN for example the Commission on the Status of Women, the Commission for Crime Prevention, the Committee for Economic, Social & Cultural Rights.
The country is a member of the Economic & Social Council- one of the main bodies for the coordination of the economic & social activity of the UN. Belarus is the co-founder of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) which includes 11 countries of the former Soviet Union. The headquarters of this organization is located in Minsk.
The Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan & the Russian Federation are members of the Customs Union. At present the 3 countries are working on further extension of the Common Economic Space. Belarus is also a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization.
The cooperation of Belarus with NATO & the program “Partnership for Peace” is aimed at the development of a constructive dialogue in order to strengthen European & international security.
Since 1992 Belarus has been the member of the Organization for Security & Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
UN member states highly appreciate the success of Belarus in providing social & economic rights including the right to education, health protection, social protection, state support of the family.
From the history of Belarus
Belarus is Eastern Slavic nation, historically part of Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Poland and Russia it regained its independence on the 27th of july, 1990. The territory of present-day Belarus was first populated in the Early Stone age by Eastern Slavic tribes, the forebears of the Belorussions are the Krivichi, Radimichi and Dregovichi. With the development of the class society the Eastern Slavic tribes begin to unite and the 1st state appered in the 9th century was Kievan Rus. But in the 14th century the Grand Duchy of Lithuania aannexed in bondage to the Polish lords who exploited them cruelly. In the 18th century Belarus was annexed by Russia. Belarus was the synonymous with poverty and backwardness. Belarussian people had no sosial and political rights. On November 7, 1917 Soviet Power was established in Belarus. The life of people of our country is always linked with the life of the neigbours Russian people. During the Second World War in the course of two years of German occupation the Hitlerites destroyed more than 209 Belorussian cities and towns, 9.200 villages, over 10.000 enterprises. All Soviet Republics helped Belarus to rebuild and restore what had been destroyed. Nowadays, Belarus has become a sovereing independent state with a well developed industry and agriculture, science and culture. It is a founder member of the United Nations Organization.
Belarus On The International Arena
As a sovereign country, Belarus enjoys full rights and is active on the international arena. From the moment of setting up the United Nations Organization (UNO) Belarus as one of its constituent member states takes an active part in the work of this association, its organs and institutions. Belarus regularly sends its delegations to the sessions of the UNO General Assembly, has its permanent delegation and its own staff in it. Belarus is a member of some international specialized organizations, commissions, bureaus, funds and other organs.
On the initiative of Belarus the international organizations have adopted a number of important decisions, particularly on the punishment of war criminals, on education of youth in the spirit of ideas of peace and friendship among nations. Belarus has signed many treaties, agreements, protocols and conventions on cooperation with other countries in various fields. Belarus has many a time been the seat of convening international meetings, such as UNO seminars on social aspects of industrialization and on distribution of industry, seminars on the International organization of labour on inspection of labour, etc. Together with representatives of other peace-loving countries the envoys of Belarus are struggling for implementing a policy that answers the basic interests of all nations of the world, for their peace and security, co-operation and friendship.
The Belarusian people indefatigably strengthens and broaden its ties with the people of other countries. Its public organizations have established direct contacts and exchange delegations with their trade unions, youth, women's and sports organizations. Fruitful are the activities of the Belarusian Society for Friendship and Cultural Relations with foreign countries. It maintains contacts with many organizations of many countries.
Перевод текста: Belarus On The International Arena
Как суверенная страна, Белоруссия обладает полными правами и активна на иностранной арене. С момента настраивания Организации Организации Объединенных Наций (ООН) Белоруссия, поскольку одно из ее учредительных государств - членов принимает активное участие в работе этой ассоциации, ее органов и учреждений. Белоруссия регулярно посылает ее делегации сессий ООН Генеральная Ассамблея, имеет ее постоянную делегацию и ее собственный штат в этом. Белоруссия - член некоторых международных специализированных организаций, комиссий, бюро, капитала и других органов.
На инициативе Белоруссии международные организации приняли множество важных решений, особенно на наказании военных преступников, на образовании молодежи в духе идей относительно мира и дружбы среди наций. Белоруссия подписала много соглашений, соглашения, протоколы и соглашения по сотрудничеству с другими странами в различных областях. Белоруссия много раз была местом созыва международных встреч, типа семинаров ООН по социальным аспектам индустриализации и на распределении промышленности, семинары по Международной организации труда на осмотре труда, и т.д. Вместе с представителями других миролюбивых стран посланники Белоруссии борются чтобы осуществить политику, которая отвечает на основные интересы всех наций мира, для их мира и безопасности, сотрудничества и дружбы.
Белорусские люди неутомимо усиливают и расширять его связи с людьми других стран. Его общественные организации установили прямые контакты и обменивают делегации с их профсоюзами, молодежью, женскими и спортивными организациями. Плодотворный - действия Белорусского Общества Дружбы и Культурных Отношений с зарубежными странами. Это поддерживает контакты со многими организациями многих стра