Meeting in Astana

 

One of the activities of the USAID Trade Facilitation & Investment project is introducing the best international practices in the field of Customs, including customs clearance of goods and means of transport when crossing the Customs border.

 

One of the most progressive forms of facilitation cross border procedures is conducting joint control of goods and means of transport by controlling agencies of neighbouring countries.

Principles of Joint Border Management are set in the Kyoto Convention for the Simplification and Harmonization of Customs Procedures, the main document of the World Customs Organization:

 

Chapter 3, Transitional Standard 3.4:  “At common border crossings, the Customs administrations concerned shall, whenever possible, operate joint controls.”

 

Chapter 3, Transitional Standard 3.5:  “Where the Customs intend to establish a new Customs office or to convert an existing one at a common border crossing, they shall, whenever possible, co-operate with the neighboring Customs to establish a juxtaposed Customs office to facilitate joint controls.”

 

To discuss the possibility to introduce such form of control on the Kazakh-Kyrgyz border, the TFI/USAID and UNDP/EC/BOMCA projects initiated meeting of government controlling agencies of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic and donor projects. This meeting was held in Astana on January 25, 2005.

 

 

Representatives of Customs, Border Guard services, Ministries of Transport of the two states briefed on the activities that has been already done by the agencies on introducing joint border management at the “Kordai” – “Ak-Jol” border points.

 

The participants expressed readiness of their agencies to introduce this system. At the same time, they stressed that it requires much preliminary preparation work from both side, such as: development of legislative basis; development of separate technological schemes/lines for commercial trucks; for TIR-trucks; for empty trucks; development and joint use of database etc.

 

Customs services of the two states are the most advanced in this issue. During the last year and a half they actively negotiate both on development of legislation and on practical realization of the project. To prove that, the experiment on JBM that was conducted at the “Kordai” – “Ak-Jol” border points from July 3 to 16, 2004. The experiment involved natural persons, personal cars and cartages. Only Customs services of the two states took part in the experiment.

 

The draft Agreement between the governments of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyz Republic on JBM on the Kazakh-Kyrgyz border contains explanations of terms and definitions used and contains basic principles of JBM on the Kazakh-Kyrgyz border.

The Agreement will have the Framework status and will mean development of schemes of practical implementation of JBM by the two sides.

 

At present, the two sides are taking steps to sign the Agreement.

 

The participants underlined importance and use of having such meetings on a regular basis in order to work out single approach on conducting JBM.

 

The USAID Trade Facilitation & Investment project aiming to facilitate international trade in the region will continue initiating and delivering activities aimed to create favorable conditions for businesses.