The 83rd meeting of the Council of Heads of Customs Services of the CIS Member States is held in Brest

Today, September 23, a meeting of the Council of Heads of Customs Services of the Commonwealth of Independent States is being held in Brest. The substantive dialogue, organized in the Brest Regional Executive Committee, involves representatives of the customs services of Belarus, Russia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The agenda includes issues of coordinating the practical interaction of customs departments, improving customs administration and strengthening cooperation in the CIS. Tomorrow, a meeting of the Joint Collegium of Customs Services of the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union will be held in the city above Bug, the correspondent of sb.by reports.

- Brest is the Western gateway not only to our country, but also to the Eurasian Economic Union and the CIS. For the first time, some heads of customs services are in Belarus. We decided to start acquainting guests with our country from the Brest region, which has the most modern customs infrastructure. We are working on the latest technologies here. Today we are showing a number of our new products. This is a robot that scans the bottom of the vehicle, and modern inspection equipment. At the checkpoint "Brest" introduced a system of electronic distribution through the channels of vehicles. We share our technology and show how we work. Our colleagues present their innovations. This meeting should have an impact on our services.

Vladimir Orlovsky said that the format of the two meetings held in Brest is different. Within the framework of the meeting of the CIS Heads Council, issues of interaction on the transportation of transit cargoes are discussed.

- We will exchange our best practices on the use of software products, vehicle scanning, scanning scans, said the Chairman of the State Customs Committee of Belarus. This is very important for detecting crimes. We meet twice a year in the format of heads of customs services of the CIS. What has changed over the past period, what needs to be discussed, we work out at such events.

Deputy Chairman of the Brest Regional Executive Committee Mikhail Batsenko acquainted the meeting participants with the systematic work on the development of border infrastructure in Brest region and stressed that the meetings within the framework of the meetings of the collegial customs authorities are of strategic importance:

- For our region, the issues of border, transport, logistics, customs authorities are not just a separate area. It is part of the daily life of the region and the economy of the country.

According to Mikhail Batsenko, great responsibility lies with the Brest customs. From its work largely depends on how organized and conveniently pass the border people and goods. This year, a large waiting area for freight transport was opened near the Kozlovici checkpoint, designed for 790 cars. This made it possible to streamline traffic, eliminate congestion of transport immediately before the checkpoint and create normal conditions for drivers. In May, an updated waiting area was opened in front of the Brest checkpoint, which includes seats for cars and buses, an electronic queue, information boards, sanitary and service facilities, charging stations.

- It is important for us that the border is not only reliable, but also convenient for those who cross it, said Mikhail Batsenko.

Customs services of the CIS countries work in different conditions, but their tasks are largely common. This includes ensuring the legality of foreign trade, accelerating the movement of goods, exchanging information, improving digital technologies, and combating violations. Head of the Federal Customs Service of Russia Valery Pikalev noted the high level of organization of the meeting of heads of customs services of the CIS member states in Brest:

- The cultural and historical context of this city, which witnessed and participated in many events, from the fight against the Crusaders to the tragic dates of modern history, the feat of the defenders of the Brest Fortress, attaches special importance to our meeting. We visited the National Park “Belovezhskaya Pushcha”, which is not only a unique natural site and a world heritage monument, but also one of the most important centers of biological and environmental research in the Republic of Belarus.