Business welcomes the adoption of the law on customs visa exemption

15/ 08/ 2022

On August 15, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted draft law No. 7420 as a whole, which brings Ukraine closer to a customs visa-free regime with the European Union. The document provides for changes to the Customs Code, which are necessary for the full application of NCTS and joint transit in Ukraine, as well as the harmonization of Ukrainian and European legislation in the customs sphere. The European Business Association welcomes this decision, which will allow Ukrainian businesses to go through customs procedures faster and enjoy a range of simplifications. In particular: within the NCTS system and joint transit, it is sufficient for enterprises from Ukraine to issue one transit declaration with one guarantee document to move goods between 36 countries (27 EU countries, Great Britain, Turkey, Serbia, North Macedonia, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland). authorized enterprises will be able to send and receive goods at their facilities without going to customs terminals; Ukrainian financial guarantees will be valid in another 35 countries of the world. Among the expected changes are also the digitalization of customs and the introduction of the European mechanism for considering business complaints on customs issues. Experts from the European Business Association, who worked on the text as part of a working group in the VRU Committee on Finance, Tax and Customs Policy, actively participated in drafting the law from the first day. In particular, thanks to the EBA proposals and efforts, the financial stability criteria were refined, which will allow more companies to receive customs simplifications. Therefore, the EBA thanks the parliamentarians for taking into account the positions of business and making a decision that will bring Ukraine closer to deeper integration with the EU and will contribute to the restoration of economic activity in the country despite the war.

On August 15, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted draft law No. 7420 as a whole, which brings Ukraine closer to a “customs visa-free regime” with the European Union. The document provides for changes to the Customs Code, which are necessary for the full application of NCTS and joint transit in Ukraine, as well as the harmonization of Ukrainian and European legislation in the customs sphere.

The European Business Association welcomes this decision, which will allow Ukrainian businesses to go through customs procedures faster and enjoy a range of simplifications. In particular:

within the NCTS system and joint transit, it is sufficient for enterprises from Ukraine to issue one transit declaration with one guarantee document to move goods between 36 countries (27 EU countries, Great Britain, Turkey, Serbia, North Macedonia, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland).
authorized enterprises will be able to send and receive goods at their facilities without going to customs terminals;
Ukrainian financial guarantees will be valid in another 35 countries of the world.

Among the expected changes are also the digitalization of customs and the introduction of the European mechanism for considering business complaints on customs issues.

Experts from the European Business Association, who worked on the text as part of a working group in the VRU Committee on Finance, Tax and Customs Policy, actively participated in drafting the law from the first day. In particular, thanks to the EBA proposals and efforts, the financial stability criteria were refined, which will allow more companies to receive customs simplifications.

Therefore, the EBA thanks the parliamentarians for taking into account the positions of business and making a decision that will bring Ukraine closer to deeper integration with the EU and will contribute to the restoration of economic activity in the country despite the war.