The Head of the State Customs Committee and the Secretary General of the WCO discuss issues of cooperation

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Secretary General of the World Customs Organization (WCO) Kunio Mikuriya arrived in the Republic of Uzbekistan on 5 March with an official visit.

The main purpose of the visit of the Secretary General of the WCO Kunio Mikuriya is to involve the countries of the Central Asian region, including Uzbekistan, in the activities of the WCO through participation in the Organization’s activities, to assist the customs services in improving their customs facilitation and trade facilitation, and strengthening regional cooperation.

On 6 March 2019, the WCO Secretary General met with the Chairman of the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Murotjon Azimov, where they discussed in detail various issues related to the international cooperation of the customs authorities of the Republic of Uzbekistan in the field of customs.

During the meeting, the Secretary General of the WCO K. Mikuriya noted that he was closely following the ongoing customs reforms in the Republic of Uzbekistan. The system of double corridor introduced at all international airports of the republic was especially emphasized, the main purpose of which is to simplify customs control, launch an automated risk management system, open borders that separate us from neighboring countries, in particular the resumption of work at several checkpoints.

Undoubtedly, the customs service is one of the most important components of the system of state power. As the border is a sign of the state, so the customs service testifies to the provision of authority to protect the economic interests of the country.

The customs service of Uzbekistan is one of the most important state institutions that protect the economic sovereignty of the country, occupies one of the priority places in the system of foreign and domestic policy of the state. At the same time, the main objectives of the customs policy proper are to ensure effective customs control and regulation of goods exchange in the customs territory of the republic, stimulating the development of the economy, and protecting the domestic market.

Currently, 182 countries of the world are members of the World Customs Organization, which control about 98% of international trade.

Uzbekistan joined the Convention establishing the Customs Cooperation Council on July 28, 1992, and since then has actively participated in the activities of the World Customs Organization, and is also a party to more than 20 international conventions on customs issues.

It should be noted that agreements have been signed with countries such as Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Belarus to create simplified customs corridors for customs control over certain goods. In order to strengthen bilateral cooperation between customs services, proposals were made to 22 countries around the world on draft agreements developed by the Customs Service of Uzbekistan.

In order to expand cooperation between customs services in 2018, the National Dog Training Center of the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan, which has the status of a Regional Dog Training Center of the World Customs Organization, organized 15 monthly training courses for the customs service of Tajikistan free of charge.

After the meeting, which was held in a rather constructive format, where all issues were discussed sincerely and openly, the Secretary General of the World Customs Organization took part in a solemn event organized in his honor, which was attended by all personnel of the State Customs Committee.

The event, held in the form of a videoconference, was attended by employees of the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, regional offices and the city of Tashkent, the specialized customs complex "Tashkent-Aero", the National Cynological Center and the staff of the Customs Institute.

During the event, the Secretary General of the World Customs Organization K. Mikuriy was shown a specially prepared video in English with detailed information on the reforms carried out in the customs system of our country.

It was noted that in the framework of the Action Strategy approved by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev in five priority areas for the development of the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2017–2021, global transformations are also being carried out in the field of State Customs.

In particular, in such a short period of time, a number of laws of the Republic of Uzbekistan, a multitude of legal acts aimed at improving the business climate in the country and developing entrepreneurship have been adopted. Measures are being taken to radically simplify and increase the transparency of licenses and permits, and the provision of public services. Strengthened measures for the legal protection of business entities, financial support for business development.

In particular, the implementation of the dual, that is, the Red and Green corridors at all international airports of our republic from January 1, 2018, the resumption of several checkpoints, the launch of an automated risk management system in the form of 4 simplified corridors that fully started working from March 1, 2019.

The draft Customs Code, being drafted to date by state customs service bodies, is a bold step towards joining the Kyoto Convention on the Simplification and Harmonization of Customs Procedures.

After the ceremonial event, the Secretary General of the World Customs Organization K. Mikuriy familiarized with the laboratory at the Office of Customs Expertise and the management of the commodity nomenclature of foreign economic activity of the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Then he got acquainted with the activities of the museum "History of Customs".

The visit of the Secretary General of the World Customs Organization to Uzbekistan continues.