MINSK, 18 June (BelTA) - Advance electronic information about cargo transported to the Customs Union (CU) by road was put in force in the three CU member states on 17 June 2012, BelTA learnt from the State Customs Committee (SCC) of Belarus.

The customs central office will appoint authorized persons who will be on duty 24/7 and will be in position to take decisions in the event of failures.

The advance electronic cargo information system was introduced in Belarus in February 2011. Since then over 600,000 electronic cargo delivery reports have been filed. Some 162,000 reports have been so far submitted this year.

According to the head of the Customs Control Organization Office of the State Customs Committee of Belarus Vladimir Orlovsky, there has recently been a rise in the number of entities interested in filing preliminary information to Belarus’ customs authorities. At the beginning of 2012 there were about 50 economic entities that can independently submit the information about import. Now their number has increased to 55. Among them are carriers, big manufacturers and economic agents that get raw materials from outside the CU. Every day Belarusian SCC receives about five applications from the interested parties who are ready to join the advance electronic cargo information system.

The mandatory nature of advance electronic cargo information is stipulated in Resolution No. 899 (9 December 2011) of the CU Commission. The move is aimed at optimizing and facilitating customs operations at border-crossing points, which, in turn, advances international trade. The decision will improve the efficiency of customs control and enhance security of the international chain of goods delivery. The authorities also seek to minimize the risks of violation of the CU legislation.

BELTA