The European Commission highly rated the results of Ukraine's approach to the customs union. This is stated in the Conclusion of the European Commission regarding Ukraine's application for membership in the European Union.
"Ukraine has a good level of preparation in the area of the customs union. Ukraine is connected to the general EU Customs Information System (Common Communication Network) and is using New Computerised Transit System (NCTS). Ukraine is part of the Common Transit Convention which is 100% based on the Union Transit System. Customs legislation, although in majority approximated, requires some further alignment with the EU acquis, foreseen by the new Customs Code to be adopted in 2023. An improvement in administrative capacity in the IT sector needs to be prioritised. Some adjustments to current procedures and working methods in some operational areas would be needed to improve implementation and enforcement of the EU-aligned customs law"
"The activation of the European integration work made it possible to introduce "customs visa-free", to update the legislative regulation, to approve important decisions of the Government for further synchronization of the work of Ukrainian and European customs. The implementation of customs norms and practices that meet EU standards is a strategic direction of the work of Ukrainian customs, which will ensure the ability to fulfill the obligations of membership in the EU," said Deputy Head of the State Customs Service of Ukraine Vladyslav Suvorov.
In the context of European integration processes, the following main achievements of Ukraine in the customs sphere were noted in the Conclusion of the European Commission:
- became a member of the Convention on the Common Transit Procedure and the Convention on the Simplification of Formalities in Trade in Goods on October 1, 2022;
- connected to the common customs information system of the EU (CCN) and uses the New Computerized Transit System (NCTS);
- fulfilled about 80% of its customs obligations under the Association Agreement with the EU, including in the key areas of transit, facilitation, guarantee and intellectual property rights;
- the national AEO program is in effect;
- Ukraine is a contracting party to the Pan-Euro-Med Convention on the Rules of Origin of Goods;
- the legislation on the control of cultural values ​​has been brought into line with the EU rules.
Further steps to be taken by Ukraine following the Conclusion of the European Commission:
- finalization of the IT system for granting authorizations;
- increasing the level of use of the AEO program for successful assessment and mutual recognition with the EU AEO program;
- final harmonization of Ukrainian customs legislation with EU legislation (it is necessary to bring about 20% of the legal base in the customs sphere into compliance with EU rules and harmonize the Customs Code of Ukraine with the EU Customs Code);
- development and improvement of customs IT systems - a priority for the coming years;
- improvement of current procedures and work methods in some operational areas to improve implementation and compliance with customs legislation adapted to EU requirements;
- clarification and elimination of differences in the direction of protection of intellectual property rights.
Achievements in the direction of European integration are the result of the joint work of the Ministry of Finance and the State Customs Service with the assistance of the EU Program for the Support of Public Finance Management (EU4PFM), Reform Support Teams under the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine and the State Customs Service.
