Ministry of Finance presents five key areas for reform of SCS
As part of the administrative reform of the State Customs Service (SCS), a number of important measures are planned to be taken to institutionally strengthen the customs authorities.
According to Ukrinform, this was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Finance.
Firstly, with regard to anti-corruption initiatives, it is planned to implement the Anti-Corruption Program of the State Customs Service and introduce certification of customs officers, the use of body cameras to record the physical control of goods and communication with citizens at the border.
Second, it is planned to establish cooperation with the business sector. An immediate step will be to develop a Help Desk that will respond quickly to business requests. This will help assess and maintain a balance between control and simplification of customs procedures. Further development and widespread application of the business simplification program, including the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) and the NCTS (Common Transit System) is expected.
The third aspect is to strengthen international cooperation. It involves the exchange of customs information between countries and joint control at checkpoints.
The fourth area is institutional development. It includes raising customs officers' salaries to market levels, introducing a performance evaluation system (KPI), and improving personnel management through contracts, rotation, and personal responsibility.
The fifth aspect is the development of IT and technical equipment. It is planned to introduce new EU-compliant IT solutions, upgrade the customs clearance system, risk management, and equip checkpoints with modern technical means such as scanners, scales, and video surveillance systems, etc.
It is noted that, in general, the implementation of these initiatives will strengthen the efficiency and transparency of customs administration in Ukraine.
As reported, the National Revenue Strategy of Ukraine for 2024-2030 includes measures to strengthen Ukraine's fiscal capacity and adapt tax and customs legislation to EU standards; in particular, it proposes to reform the simplified system and restore the progressive personal income tax scale.