Contents:

Introduction ___________________________________________4

Part I. Customs Technologies _____________________________6

Part II. New Sophisticated Equipment ______________________19

Part III. Reading for Information___________________________41

Conclusion____________________________________________49

Part I

Customs Technologies Text 1 Customs and Information Technologies

Task I. Study the following words:

to heighten – усиливать(-ся);

movement of goods across national borders – перемещение товаров через национальные границы;

collecting tax revenue – сбор/взимание таможенных платежей;

trading arrangements – торговые соглашения;

improved techniques (equipment ) – усовершенствованное оборудование;

computerization – компьютеризация.

Read the text to describe the main role of customs administration.

What is the main role of customs administration? In a world of heightened security concerns customs officers have a range of tasks, primarily related to the movement of goods across national borders. In addition to collecting tax revenue they play an important role in other areas of border control. They combat smuggling, administer the complex provisions of an ever-expanding number of regional trading arrangements, collect international trade statistics, and address security worries.

The Customs Service of the Russian Federation is one of the largest Customs Services in the world. It is a multifunctional, technically equipped, dynamic structure, with more than 60 thousand well trained personnel working in it.

Today the Russian Customs Service is expected to meet the increased workload and the increased enforcement problems by better organization, personnel training, modernization and improved techniques including computerization and new technology – making maximum use of data processing techniques and electronic data interchange methods.

The Customs Services’ strategies and equipment are being continually refined. There is growing emphasis on the use of risk assessment, intelligence data in order to identify specific targets or potential smugglers. The use of technical devices, such as X-ray, fiber optic and high vision equipment is increasing.

Task II. Match left and right.

досмотровая техника с высокой разрешающей способностью	data processing techniques
возросшая нагрузка	risk assessment
бороться с контрабандой	to identify specific targets
оптико-волоконная техника	increased workload
оценка риска	security concerns/ worries
оперативные данные (≈ разведки)	potential smugglers
идентифицировать/определять специфические цели	fibre optic (camera) devices
техника (методы) обработки данных	high vision equipment
проблемы безопасности	to combat smuggling
потенциальные контрабандисты	intelligence data

Task III. Answer the questions.

1. What are the areas customs officers play an important role?

2. How can the Russian Customs Service meet the increased workload and the increased enforcement problems?

3. Why is it so important to use improved techniques?

4. What technical devices are used at the Customs?

5. What can help to identify specific targets or potential smugglers?

Task IV. Rewrite the sentences below translating the Russian parts into English.

1. The Customs Service of the Russian Federation is a multifunctional, технически оснащённая, dynamic structure.

2. In addition to сбор таможенных платежей customs officers play an important role in другие области контроля на границе.

3. The Customs Services’ strategies and оборудование are being continually совершенствуются.

4. Modernization and improved techniques make maximum use of техника обработки данных and обмен электронными данными methods.

5. The use of технические средства, such as X-ray, fiber optic and досмотровая техника с высокой разрешающей способностью is increasing.

6. There is растущий акцент on the use of risk assessment, данные разведки in order to identify specific targets or потенциальные контрабандисты.

7. Today the Russian Customs Service is expected to meet the increased workload and the increased проблемы правоохранительного характера by better organization, personnel повышение квалификации.

Task V. Complete the following sentences using the text.

1. The Customs Service of the Russian Federation is one of the ______.

2. Today the Russian Customs Service is expected to meet the increased workload and the increased enforcement problem by ______.

3. In a world of heightened security concerns, customs officers have a range of tasks, primarily related to ______.

4. Customs officers combat smuggling; administer the complex provisions of an ever-expanding number of _______.

5. The use of technical devices, such as ______ is increasing.

Task VI. Read the following and give your comments.

The tools a modern customs administration needs to reconcile intensified security concerns with the goal of facilitating trade – reliance on more effective methods of risk assessment and more efficient exchange of information between the private sector and customs administration, and among customs administrations in different countries – are the same tools that developing countries need to reduce compliance costs for traders and collect revenue more effectively.