President of Kazakhstan OKs Customs Code

ASTANA. KAZINFORM Head of State Nursultan Nazarbayev signed the Code "On Customs Regulation in the Republic of Kazakhstan" aimed at improving the system of customs regulation, Kazinform cites the press service of Akorda.

The text of the Code is to be published in the press.

Earlier, Minister of National Economy Timur Suleimenov stressed that the document expands the so-called Postfactum customs clearance regime, and also synchronizes the processes with the country's Tax Code.

In order to develop Kazakhstan's transit potential, the Code provides for a number of norms aimed at the optimization of customs operations. The current code provided for the completion of customs transit within 24 hours, while in accordance with the new one, it should take no more than 4 hours. Also, in case it is necessary to conduct customs inspection of transit cargo, the maximum time for these procedures was reduced from 10 to 5 days.

The draft provides for the Government to have a right to prohibit the conditional release of certain goods, for example, children's goods, toys, hygiene items, etc. That is, these goods can be cleared only if the security is confirmed by providing certificates of conformity.

A corresponding bill has been developed simultaneously with the new Code that provides for changes in six Codes and 29 laws.