Roman Gordienok, head of Education Center “Compas VED”

- As it is known, new Customs Code of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) came into effect on January 1, 2018. The new Customs Code provides for establishing a necessity of including customs clearance specialists (CCS) in the staff of customs agent at the level of national legislation (cl. 2 Article 402 CC EAEU). So, all developments in this respect are at the discretion of the Union Member States. Although the Customs Code has come into effect the new Law on Customs Regulation is not ready in the Russian Federation. Therefore, in the beginning we will have to be guided by explanations of the Ministry of Finance as regards practices under the old Law and the new Code.

The transition period is not expected to be long. Experts say the new Law on Customs Regulations will be passed in spring…

As of today, customs agents should have two customs clearance specialists. To obtain a CCS certificate one should pass an exam and upgrade every two years. Otherwise the certificated will be cancelled. The initial version of the draft law provided for simplification of this process through replacing the exam with a test and upgrading performed once in three years. The other version does not include the CCS provision …. If the Law comes into effect in spring 2018 the possible changes are postponed for several months and customs agents still need CCSs for their activities. 

If the necessity of CCS is abolished the education system in the customs sphere will change.