Kazakhstan to put in electronic customs clearance
"The Draft Customs Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan includes the norms specified by the Eurasian Economic Union Customs Code and establishes the legal relations that are completely controled by national rulemaking. The main difference between the two codes from the current legislation is a fundamentally new approach to customs regulation. The main principle of the new customs regulation is the automation of business processes at customs. We implement electronic declaring. This means that the declaring procedure will be carried out in electronic format. There is no need to attach any supporting documents. All the required information is put right in the declaration. Declaring in hard copies will remain in certain cases only, for example, in case of technical failures," Bakenov said, presenting the bill.
According to him, adoption of the new Code will make it possible to release goods automatically. The customs authorities' information system will issue a declaration without officials if no violations found. Moreover, the draft new Code specifies the single window system. Thus, the customs authorities will now not require a declarant to provide the documents they can obtain using the information systems of state bodies within information exchange.
As Bakenov said, in addition to the emphasis on information technology, the Code offers a number of opportunities for participants of foreign economic activities enabling them to optimize their expenses. It introduces the mechanism of advance payments - a declarant will be able to pay all the due amount of customs payments without breaking down into duties, fees and taxes. The customs authorities' system will further distribute them by types of payment. This reduces the risk of debt or erroneous payment. All participants of foreign economic activities will be able to obtain a delay in paying customs duties and taxes. If a declarant cannot immediately square accounts with the budget as to customs duties and taxes for any reason, the state entitles him to use a deferral for a month with interest charges, and for six months in some cases. In certain cases, installment plan for up to 6 months without interest is provided, for instance, when importing agricultural machinery, seed materials and pedigree animals.
The vice-minister also noted that for investors, the law would broaden the investors' opportunities to release goods before filing a customs declaration. As part of the implementation of investment projects, investors will be able to withdraw their goods over a claim with a subsequent filing of a declaration no later than the 10th day of the following month. This norm extends now to free warehouses, special economic zones, customs processing procedures.