Ministry of Transport and Communications of Ukraine has prepared a draft decree for the Cabinet of Ministers on amendments in the customs control procedure for water transport at border checkpoints. The amended regulations will remove requirements for cargo owners to pass all the export-import clearance procedures at off-port customs posts, the "Economic news" reports. The new regulation according to approved in March 2009 decree was expected to be effective from 1 January 2010.

An explanatory memorandum to document reads "in a sharp decline in container traffic from the end of 2008 through 2009 certain provisions of this document are unacceptable”.

In particular, the Transport Ministry’s document highlights that creating customs posts at off-port terminals is a time-, fund-consuming issue, impossible in the current economic crisis. Moreover, the officials predict, the limitations imposed on export-import traders may lead to the loss of existing freight traffics, which could switch to alternative routes.

If adopted, the new document will allow cargo owners choosing cargo clearance procedure either at port’s customs or at a private terminal.