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At the first trilateral meeting involving the State Customs Service of Ukraine (UASCS), Customs Service of Moldova (MDCS), and the European Union Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM), the three parties today signed a protocol on cooperation following discussions on progress in several areas including the recent launch of the Jointly Operated Border Crossing Point (JOBCP) pilot project at Briceni-Rossoshany.

Before signing the protocol at the Law Academy in Odessa, UASCS Chairman Mr Igor Kaletnik, the Director General of the MDCS Mr Tudor Balitchi, and the Head of EUBAM, Mr Udo Burkholder, reflected on a wide range of customs issues, including the speeding-up of customs procedures in the context of preparations for the Euro 2012 football championship.

Another important aspect of the meeting concerned further cooperation between the three parties in relation to the prevention of customs fraud and smuggling, and enhancing customs revenue.  EUBAM also pointed out the support the Mission is providing to its partners for the creation of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA), an integral part of the EU-Moldova and EU-Ukraine Association Agreements that are under discussion, which require of both countries approximation with EU practices in trade-related areas.

“This first trilateral meeting between EUBAM and the customs services of both countries comes at a critical time, with Moldova and Ukraine deepening contacts with the European Union, particularly in the context of the creation of a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area,” said Mr Burkholder. “Approximation with EU standards in customs matters has therefore assumed even greater importance, and this is where EUBAM has played and will continue to play a key support role.”

The UASCS Chairman, Mr Kaletnik, remarked: “EUBAM’s assistance aimed at improving the accuracy and completeness of the data exchanged between the customs services is very valuable for us. Our meeting today is the continuation of work completed in previous meetings. The agreements we have reached are aimed at simplification of customs-control procedures and creation of comfortable conditions of border crossing for all our citizens.”

The MDCS Director General, Mr Balitchi, assessed positively the cooperation between both customs services and EUBAM and felt certain that coordination of operational activities would continue and improve. “It is important that for the last six years we have had a constant dialogue and have a constructive approach to issues related to provision of stability and security on the Moldova-Ukraine border,” he noted.