Majilis OKs ratification of EAEU Customs Code Treaty
"The draft Law "On Ratification of the Treaty on the Customs Code of the Eurasian Economic Union" was made up as per Article 11 of the Law "On International Treaties of the Republic of Kazakhstan ". The Treaty on the Customs Code of the Eurasian Economic Union was signed in Moscow on April 11, 2017. The unified customs regulation is carried out in accordance with the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union. That condition made it necessary to create a new Customs Code. The EAEU Customs Code is based on the international standards and best practices of customs administration. Making it up, we referred to the specific features of the law enforcement practices in each of the five EAEU Member States," the minister said.
He said that the document contains such new approaches as the automation of customs operations, the introduction of a more convenient business algorithm for dealing with government bodies by simplifying customs administration, and the implementation of one-stop-shop principles in export-import operations. The EAEU Customs Code also includes the automation of business processes at the customs, a brand new customs regulation approach.
"We are setting up the online customs filing priority. This means that the declaration will be electronic. Moreover, there is no need to attach any supporting documents. All required information is specified in the declaration. Paper declaration will remain only in certain circumstances such as technical failures for example," the minister said.
Besides, the draft law provides for the opportunity to use the one-stop-shop services. Now, the customs authorities will not request the documents that can be obtained through information systems of the government bodies.
The Minister maintains that the implementation of the above provisions will allow to carry out the automatic release of goods. That is, the customs authorities' information system issues declarations without any officers if no potential violations have been found. It gives a legal value to the release without any participation of the customs officers, he stressed.
"As a whole, the above-mentioned provisions will significantly simplify the declaration process and will reduce the corruption risks," he added.
In addition to the emphasis on information technology, the participants of foreign economic activities will have a range of opportunities to minimize their costs, for instance, by obtaining a delay in payment of the customs duties and taxes.
"If for any reason the declarant cannot pay off the customs duties at once, the Government shall entitle him to use one-month interest-bearing delay. In some cases, an interest-free delay up to 6 months is granted. For instance, these [cases] include supply activities under international treaties, importing agricultural machinery, seed materials, and pedigree animals, and the payer's damages caused by any natural disaster, man-made catastrophe, or other insurmountable circumstances," the minister clarified.
Moreover, the authorized economic operators of the first and third types will now be recognized in all EAEU Member States and will be able to use the simplifications regardless of the country.
The Kazakh Majilis approved the bill and submitted it to the Senate.