March 28 2005, 14:24 Interfax-Ukraine

Ukraine's government to expedite customs procedures for import goods

According to a declaration of Ukraine's Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko, the Cabinet of Ministers on March 26 adopted a resolution, stipulating speeding-up of the procedure of customs clearance for import goods at the state border.

"I think that after the resolution will take effect on Monday, the duration of customs clearance of the goods will be significantly cut", Timoshenko said to a press conference March 26.

She said that the period of customs clearance of imports goods at the border used to last as long as 12 to 15 days. "We will be striving to cut this term to 1-3 days at longest, but our final goal is to make it just 24 hours", she said.

She also said that the government had adopted a resolution, aimed at fulfillment of the "Stop smuggles" programme. According to her, on Saturday the Cabinet approved a comprehensive schedule of combating smuggles, which had been developed by government jointly with importers and Ukrainian producers of goods.