Head of Ukrposhta Smelyansky will coordinate Customs Reform: what powers will he have

The Cabinet of ministers has appointed Ihor Smelyansky, General Director of Ukrposhta, as the Government Commissioner for Customs Reform. The government also approved the regulations on the commissioner, as well as defined the competencies that belong to him. This was announced by the government’s representative in Parliament Taras Melnychuk in Telegram, reports UNN.

Appointed: Igor Smelyansky as the Government Commissioner for Customs Reform 

During a government meeting, Prime Minister Denis Shmygal said that the Cabinet of ministers introduces the post of Government Commissioner for Customs Reform, who will coordinate the Customs Reform.

“It will be Igor Smelyansky. We are also forming a coordination working group. The commissioner and the Working Group are assigned a wide range of tasks: synchronization with the EU, infrastructure modernization, introduction of a risk-based system, digitalization and much more,” Shmygal said.

Melnychuk also said that the Cabinet of ministers approved the regulation on the Government Commissioner for Customs Reform. In particular, he is appointed and dismissed by the Cabinet of ministers on the recommendation of the prime minister.

The competence of the commissioner includes:

preparation of proposals for customs reform as part of the implementation of the National Revenue Strategy until 2030;

preparation of proposals for the implementation of measures related to the involvement of civil society institutions in the formation and implementation of the state customs policy, cooperation with such institutions and promotion of cooperation with them by executive authorities;

initiating the adoption of regulatory legal acts on issues within its competence and making changes to them;

development of draft regulatory legal acts on issues within its competence and submission of relevant proposals to the chief developer and the Cabinet of Ministers;

participation in cooperation with international organizations on the formation and implementation of customs policy and implementation of relevant recommendations of international organizations on customs issues.

In addition, an interdepartmental working group was formed on reforming the system of bodies implementing customs policy, as well as the regulations on it and its composition were approved.

Recall

The parliament passed a law on customs reform, which is an important condition for receiving international assistance. The changes include a new procedure for selecting a manager, an annual audit, and an increase in salaries for customs officers.