A. General Information
EU4Digital Ukraine-Moldova-Romania eCustoms pilot
B. Lessons Learned
The State Customs Service of Ukraine and the Romanian Customs Authority have completed a successful eCustoms pilot to enhance the facilitation of trade. They tested the exchange of electronic data at the Porubne-Siret border crossing point during 19-26 June 2023.
The eCustoms pilot’s goal is to enhance cooperation between neighbouring countries’ customs authorities, which is crucial for simplifying trade and optimizing border procedures. It also served as a training opportunity for the customs officers and to demonstrate how SEED integration can provide effective controls for the cross-border transit of both full and empty trucks.
The EU4Digital Facility Phase II eCustoms pilot is part of the eTrade thematic area and focuses on piloting mechanisms of data exchange between bordering customs administrations. The initiative is expected to cut down processing times, lessen administrative work, and increase data precision and openness, which are crucial for managing risks effectively.
Customs procedures
The Ukraine-Romania eCustoms pilot used the SEED (Systematic Electronic Exchange of Data) application. SEED has been used for customs data exchange in the Western Balkans for more than ten years. This experience, as well as a similar, successful Moldova-Romania pilot in 2022, contributed to the Ukraine-Romanian eCustoms pilot design. The pilot used the scenario of more than 80 empty trucks crossing the border in both directions. Customs procedures had been updated to integrate the SEED application when processing empty trucks. During the pilot, data was entered into the system by the front-line customs officers in the country of exit, sent through a secure channel and then verified and confirmed in the country of entry. This avoided the duplication of data inputs into the system by both customs authorities. At the same time, the risk assessment process became more dynamic, because the data could be analyzed in the country of entry before the trucks arrived in the customs control area.
Customs information
EU SEED (Systematic Electronic Exchange of Data)
The pilot demonstrated the effectiveness of digital applications in streamlining customs procedures and facilitating smoother border crossing. It also showed the potential for the eCustoms approach to be expanded to more countries. By embracing digital transformation in customs procedures, EU4Digital contributes to the overall improvement of trade facilitation within the Eastern Partnership region. The cooperation around this eCustoms pilot has consolidated the foundation for ongoing collaboration and future digitalization efforts in trade facilitation between Ukraine and Romania. By showcasing systematic electronic data exchange benefits, the pilot also provides a template for future initiatives in customs cooperation and trade optimization between the European Union (EU) and its neighbors.
EU4Digital assistance
In the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine and the establishment of EU-supported solidarity lanes, trade facilitation depends on open channels for trade and collaboration, to provide much-needed stability and support to the affected regions. Building upon the eCustoms pilot, Ukraine and Romania are well positioned to further enhance their customs cooperation and digitalization efforts. Using SEED and other digital solutions, they can continue to modernize customs procedures, promote smoother cross-border trade and foster economic growth. Continued collaboration and digitalization by customs administrations will contribute to further advancements in trade facilitation and strengthen economic ties between the EU and the Eastern Partnership. The EU4Digital eTrade theme’s eCustoms experts will formulate post-pilot recommendations covering legal, organizational, and technical perspectives. EU4Digital will also continue to support the customs administrations into next stage of their cooperation.
The EU4Digital Facility Phase II eCustoms pilot is part of the eTrade thematic area and focuses on piloting mechanisms of data exchange between bordering customs administrations. The initiative is expected to cut down processing times, lessen administrative work, and increase data precision and openness, which are crucial for managing risks effectively. Prior to the site visit, the pilot reached a key milestone in April with the signing of a trilateral Memorandum of Understanding between the Ukrainian, Moldovan and Romanian customs authorities.