EBA Customs Committee Meeting on Free Trade Agreements with Great Britain and Israel

26/ 03/ 2021

On March 19, the EBA Customs Committee held an online meeting on the first results of the implementation of the Free Trade and Strategic Partnership Agreement between Ukraine and the United Kingdom and the Free Trade Agreement between Ukraine and Israel. View a meeting recording Mr. Deinesh, a representative of the British consulting company J.D. Consultants Ltd and a member of the British International Trade Association, covered the main aspects of the Free Trade Agreement between the UK and the 27 EU member states, which entered into force in January 2021. Given distinctions in the list of transit customs documents required by different countries, the United Kingdom considers the possibility of creating a hub to streamline new practices of customs rules implementation. The discussion also highlighted practical issues related to the control of transit cargo through the EU or from EU warehouses as the logistics route of British goods through European customs warehouses remains indispensable for Ukraine. In early 2021, there were delays in customs clearance of goods due to slight changes in the list of documents for deliveries from the UK. During the meeting, it was decided that these issues will be agreed upon in the future. Enrika Naujokė, a representative of the Lithuanian Association of Customs Practitioners, emphasized the key requirements in the rules for determining and proving the origin of goods. The Free Trade Agreement with the United Kingdom requires the customs authorities of both countries to determine the list of documents required as the evidence of the origin of goods in direct transport. If the goods leave the EU, the customs authorities issue a certificate in accordance with the documents provided by an authorized person. The State Customs Service of Ukraine claimed that since the beginning of the year, the tariff preferences with the United Kingdom were granted in the amount of UAH 57 million, and with Israel - in the amount of UAH 140 million. The basis for providing preferential treatment is a Euro-1 certificate and a respective invoice. We truly thank all the speakers for the active discussion and will continue to work together to improve the conditions of trade between the countries.

View a meeting recording

Mr. Deinesh, a representative of the British consulting company J.D. Consultants Ltd and a member of the British International Trade Association, covered the main aspects of the Free Trade Agreement between the UK and the 27 EU member states, which entered into force in January 2021. Given distinctions in the list of transit customs documents required by different countries, the United Kingdom considers the possibility of creating a hub to streamline new practices of customs rules implementation.

The discussion also highlighted practical issues related to the control of transit cargo through the EU or from EU warehouses as the logistics route of British goods through European customs warehouses remains indispensable for Ukraine. In early 2021, there were delays in customs clearance of goods due to slight changes in the list of documents for deliveries from the UK. During the meeting, it was decided that these issues will be agreed upon in the future.

Enrika Naujokė, a representative of the Lithuanian Association of Customs Practitioners, emphasized the key requirements in the rules for determining and proving the origin of goods.

The Free Trade Agreement with the United Kingdom requires the customs authorities of both countries to determine the list of documents required as the evidence of the origin of goods in direct transport.

If the goods leave the EU, the customs authorities issue a certificate in accordance with the documents provided by an authorized person.

The State Customs Service of Ukraine claimed that since the beginning of the year, the tariff preferences with the United Kingdom were granted in the amount of UAH 57 million, and with Israel – in the amount of UAH 140 million.

The basis for providing preferential treatment is a Euro-1 certificate and a respective invoice.

We truly thank all the speakers for the active discussion and will continue to work together to improve the conditions of trade between the countries.