English for customs officers

7.A few decades ago we … little about many things which now we regard as commonplace.

8.Trade demands for additional services … their effect on Customs.

9.These are just a few areas in which Customs now … increasingly involved.

10.Customs Services around the world and the business community … a million times each day.

11.In 1983 after the completion of the HS many countries … to work out their new tariffs based on the HS.

12.It is clear that the manner in which Customs Services conduct their business … a substantial impact on trade efficiency.

13.Now it … difficult in some countries for Customs officers to be aware of all existing regulations affecting importations.

14.Governments throughout the world … the value of Customs Services in their national economies.

15.The application of all these responsibilities … to an increase in the complexity of Customs regulations.

16.As a result, this … to a lack of uniformity in the application of the law.

17.After the HS was introduced many countries … with the increased complexities of tariffs.

18.In recent times the world … from the Customs' perspective.

19.Fraud and evasion … never … such acute problems to developing countries as now.

20.Customs authorities … many problems connected with the increased complexities of tariffs based on the HS.

VI. Study the chart and speculate about: the major challenges affecting the performance of the Belarusian Customs Service and the improvements recently seen in the activity of our Customs Service. Add your own ideas.

What improvements have been seen lately in the Belarusian Customs Service in terms of:

collecting more revenue;

detecting more smuggling or a reduction in smuggling and fraud, because of greater compliance;

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better targeted training and technical assistance, and thereby better value for money;

better planning and performance measurement?

What are the major challenges affecting the performance of the Belarusian Customs Service?

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These challenges have led to a need for a review of the total trading process. Both commercial and administrative management are becoming more aware of the increased efficiency, reduced costs and better customer service that can be obtained from adopting trade facilitation techniques.

Trade facilitation is a key policy for Customs. Trade facilitation covers all the steps that can be taken to smooth and facilitate the flow of trade. Trade facilitation can be defined as «the simplification and harmonisation of international trade procedures including import and export procedures». Procedures in this context largely refer to «the activities (practices and formalities) involved in collecting, presenting, communicating and processing the data required for movement of goods in international trade»1.

In the 21st century, the WCO views the accepted mission of Customs to «develop and implement an integrated set of policies and procedures that ensure increased safety and security, as well as effective trade facilitation and revenue collection»2. This new strategic direction, as outlined by the WCO, has the folowing strategic building blocks:

1.Globally networked Customs – the need for an «e-Сustoms» network that will ensure seamless, real-time, paperless flows of information and connectivity. It's necessary for Сustoms-to-Сustoms transactions as well as Сustoms-to-business transactions. It should be supported by an internationally standardized data set, interconnected systems, mutual recognition and coordination protocols between export and import transactions (eg. Authorized Economic Operators), and by a set of rules governing the exchange of information between Customs administrations (including data protection).

2.Better coordinated border management – this involves better coordination and communication between the various border agencies and authorities. Additionally, there is a need for an electronic «single window» (eg. the International Trade Data System in the US (ITDS) that allows the trade to provide all necessary information and documentation once to the designated agency that in turn distributes it to relevant agencies.

1Taxaion and Customs Union.

2Customs in the 21st century. Enhancing Growth and Development through Trade Facilitation and Border Security.

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3.Intelligence-driven risk management – a more sophisticated understanding of the risk continuum is needed. Scarce resources require that targeting be done at the higher end of the risk spectrum.

4.Customs-trade partnership – Customs should enter into strategic pacts with trusted economic operators (eg. C-TPAT, AEO). The relationships must result in mutually beneficial outcomes.

5.Implementation of modern working methods, procedures and techniques – the demand for rapid movement of goods, combined with complex regulatory requirements, calls for more audit-based controls undertaken away from the border, moving from transaction-based controls to system-based controls (eg. the US' Automated Commercial Environment (ACE)), and moving away from paper systems.

6.Enabling technology and tools – taking advantage of new and emerging technologies to enhance processing, risk management, intelligence and non-intrusive detection.

7.Enabling powers – the appropriate legislative provisions must be implemented to strengthen enforcement powers, provide for advance information, and sharing of information domestically and internationally. It is needed especially in the area of combating organized crime, while protecting the safety of Customs officers.

8.A professional, knowledge-based service culture – movement towards a more customer-oriented model. Staff competencies need to support timely customer-focused processes and services that minimize the administrative burden on legitimate trade. Effective change management and leadership skills will also need to be developed.

9.Capacity building – Customs administrations need to ensure they have the capacity and skills to perform Customs functions efficiently and effectively. Leadership from developed Customs administrations is critical to ensure sustainable capacity building (eg. the WCO Columbus Programme). The (WCO) defines capacity building as activities which strengthen the knowledge, abilities, skills and behavior of individuals and improve institutional structures and processes in such a way that the organization can efficiently meet its mission and goals in a sustainable way.

10.Integrity – the fight against corruption will remain an important task that will need to be undertaken for years to come.

These building blocks provide solid guidance for Сustoms administrations in the 21st century to ensure not only an environment that will facilitate legitimate trade, but also allow Сustoms administrations to focus limited resources on those areas deemed highest risk.

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EXERCISES

I. Find the words/phrases in the text which follow the verbs below.

II. Speculate about the following:

How do Customs administrations plan to adapt to meet the demands of the 21st century?

Study the following words and word combinations from the text.

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TEXT 8.3. HM CUSTOMS & EXCISE

The role of Customs in revenue collection and social protection is extremely important but this has to be balanced with the role of Customs in trade facilitation.

This is how the British Customs Service (properly known as Her Majesty's Customs and Excise), often abbreviated to HMCE) sees its role today.

Main responsibilities. As well as the collection of VAT and excise duties Customs and Excise is also responsible for:

collection of Customs duties and agricultural levies for the European Community;

enforcement of prohibitions and restrictions on imports and exports;

tasks connected with foreign trade including the collection of trade statistics.

Customs duties. The assessment and collection of Customs duties on imported goods have always been one of the main functions of Customs and Excise. However, one of the consequences of membership in the European Community has been a change in the nature of Customs duties. In addition, Customs and Excise collects and controls the other charges which may be levied at import and remitted at export, such as excise duties and VAT.

Import and export controls. Most goods may be imported into the UK under the authority of an open general import licence. However, the importation of a limited range of goods originating in certain specified countries needs individual import licences issued by the Department of Trade and Industry. Certain goods which are of strategic importance can be exported under the authority of a licence from the Department of Trade and Industry. Customs and Excise is responsible for ensuring that goods are not imported or exported contrary to these restrictions or to any prohibition or restriction imposed for the protection of public, animal or plant health, on moral and humanitarian grounds, for conservation purposes or for various other reasons. The prevention of drug smuggling in particular is one of the top priorities.

Control of freight. Goods imported into the UK and the ships, aircraft and vehicles carrying them must be reported to Customs. The goods cannot be removed from the place of importation without Customs

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authority. In most cases a written declaration, a Customs import entry, is presented for this purpose. The entry is used to enforce special controls on certain goods and for the collection of trade statistics.

At export, Customs and Excise has a dual responsibility to carry out any controls on exported goods and to collect all the data necessary for the compilation of a large variety of trade statistics. Information about all exports must be supplied to Customs before shipment in order to meet these requirements.

Control of passengers. Travellers entering the UK must declare all articles obtained abroad or during the voyage or flight if the goods exceed the statutory allowances. At most major ports and airports operating the clearway system of self-selection, travellers make a declaration by entering either the Red Channel, if they have goods to declare, or the Green Channel, if they have not. Travellers leaving the UK must also pass through Customs control the aim of which is to prevent evasion of export licensing regulations.

The European Community is seeking to harmonize Customs rules and procedures in all its member states. It has also proposed the abolition of most Customs controls over the movement of passengers and goods between member states. In addition there are plans to make Customs freight procedures as efficient and effective as possible by making maximum use of data processing techniques and electronic data interchange methods.

Answer the following questions:

1.What is VAT?

2.What are the main responsibilities of Customs Services?

3.What is the British Customs Service responsible for as a member of the European Community?

4.What is the «clearway» system?

5.Why has the nature of Customs duties changed?

6.What remains one of the top priorities for Customs and Excise?

7.What dual responsibility does the British Customs Service have?

8.How does the British Customs Service prevent evasion of export licensing regulations?

9.What is the European Community seeking to do?

10.What advantages do the EC member-states have?

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FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES

I. Fill in the gaps with the English equivalents of the words in brackets.

Reference words: airports, representatives, collect, country, Customs, Balance of Trade, export licences, figures, goods, government, imported, taxes, forbidden

CUSTOMS

Basically, the (таможня), or Customs and Excise to give them their full title, are (представители) of a country's (правительство). They are а (правительство) department really. They are found at ports and (аэропорты), the places where people bring goods into the (страна). Now, they have four functions. The first is to calculate and (собирать) the duty on (ввозимые) goods which are dutiable. You don't have to pay (налоги) on all (товары). The second function is to issue import and (экспортные лицензии) for restricted goods. The third function is to prevent trade in (запрещенные) goods. That's to stop people trading in certain drugs, wildlife, etc. The fourth function is to collect import and export (цифры). They use these (цифры) to calculate the country's (торговый баланс).

II. Match left to the right to make a sentence complete.

3. The creation of the WTO ... c. ... amounts to over US $ 3,700,000 (annually).

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III. Finish the sentence by filling in the following table. Connect the figures (1-5) with the letters (a-f).

The role of Customs Services is to help Governments to achieve their objectives in the areas of …

a. ... preventing the illegal importation of chemicals, toxic substances, endangered animals and products made from them.

b. ... collecting duties and taxes and protecting the revenue base.

c. ... controlling and processing imports and exports and working in partnership to help importers move their goods quickly and smoothly.

d. ... administering relevant Government policies concerning imports, exports, tariffs and anti-dumping laws.

e. ... stopping illicit drugs, pornography, weapons and other illegal imports flowing into countries.

f. ... ensuring goods which have a national heritage status do not leave the state without proper authorization.

IV. Translate into Russian.

The traditional view of Customs administrations as primarily enforcement agencies must now be balanced with new roles – those of organizations providing services to clients and facilitating the movement

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