Technical assistance

PUBLIC FINANCE MANAGEMENT SUPPORT PROGRAMME FOR UKRAINE, FINANCED BY THE EU

    

The Customs Department under the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania in cooperation with the Central Project Management Agency takes part in the implementation of the activities of Component 3 “Revenue mobilization” and Component 4 “Horizontal Functions and Governance” of the Public Finance Management Support Programme for Ukraine, financed by the EU (hereinafter – EU4PFM).

The objectives of the 6-year EU4PFM Programme, to be implemented from 2019 to 2024, are to improve the public finance management of Ukraine, to assist public authorities in planning and controlling budgets, to expand the economic crime investigation system, and to help to reform the tax and customs services.

The representatives of the Lithuanian Customs carry out the functions of international experts in Ukraine.

On 18 June 2019, the opening event of the EU4PFM Programme took place in Kiev, Ukraine.

On 13 December 2019, Mr J. Miškinis, Deputy Director General of the Customs Department under the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania, performing the functions of Director General, participated at the 1st Steering Committee Meeting of the EU4PFM Programme, held in Kiev (Ukraine).

During the bilateral meeting with the Head of the State Customs Service of Ukraine Maksym Nefyodov, the issues of cooperation and assistance in the implementation of the National Transit Control System (NCTS) were discussed. The planned implementation of the NCTS system will help the Ukrainian Customs to move closer to the European Union standards in the Customs area and will contribute to ensuring the integrity of the entire European Customs system.

On 24-28 February 2020, a study visit to the Lithuanian Customs on NCTS issues was organized in Vilnius for the representatives of the Ukrainian Customs Service and the Ministry of Finance. The Customs Information Systems Centre, Vilnius Territorial Customs Office and Customs posts were visited during the event.

The implementation of the EU4PFM Programme activities in the field of transit, risk management, customs procedures, etc. continued during the COVID-19 pandemic: the Lithuanian Customs representatives performed the functions of international short-term experts remotely.

On 21-22 September 2020, the expert of the Lithuanian Customs conducted for the Ukrainian customs officers the remote seminar on the dual–use goods, where the experience of customs control in the Republic of Lithuania (and the EU) on dual-use goods was presented.

Experts of the Lithuanian Customs  have made a strong contribution to the project's significant achievements in the areas of NCTS accession and harmonisation of customs legislation.  

On 25 and 26 October 2022, high-level representatives of the Ukrainian Customs Service and the Ministry of Finance visited the Lithuanian Customs. The guests were introduced to the relevant aspects of the application of simplified customs procedures, management of customs IT services, border crossing management systems.

For more information, please visit the official website of the EU4PFM Programme.

 

Since September 2023, the Lithuanian Customs in co-operation with the Italian Customs and Monopolies Agency are implementing a 24-month EU Twinning Programme project “Strengthening capacities of Indirect Taxation Authority of Bosnia and Herzegovina”. Project budget is 1 000 000 Eur. The overall objective of the project is strengthening efficiency and capacities of Indirect Taxation Authority of Bosnia and Herzegovina through implementation of best practices and legislation in line with EU acquis on indirect taxation, while the specific objective directs to the improvement of overall performance of Indirect Taxation Authority by applying new laws, procedures and well-developed effective systems of customs, VAT and excise controls.

The international experts’ team is implementing the project activities in the following areas: (1) Approximation of legislation, procedures with EU best practices in the area of Customs and Taxation, (2) Risk management, (3) Support to Internal Audit Department of Indirect Taxation Authority, (4) Support for implementing Financial Action Task Force Action Plan (anti-money laundering initiative).

The Lead Partner of the project is the Italian Customs and Monopolies Agency, while the Lithuanian Customs acts as Junior Partner responsible for the implementation of Component 4 activities.

On 6 December 2023, the first meeting of the Project Steering Committee was held to approve the jointly by all project partners prepared work plan for the first six months of the project implementation.

On 16 February 2024, the opening ceremony of the project was held in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The event was attended by the representatives of the project implementing partners of Bosnian and Herzegovinian, Italian and Lithuanian institutions, the Head of the EU Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina, H.E. Ambassador Johann Sattler, the Ambassador of Italy to Bosnia and Herzegovina, H.E. Marco Di Ruzza, and Minister Plenipotentiary Erikas Petrikas of the Embassy of Lithuania to Hungary, to the Republic of Serbia, to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

 

 

  

In 2017 - 2020, Lithuanian Customs together with the Italian Customs and Monopolies Agency (Junior Partner) and Central Project Management Agency (Lithuanian Public Institution) was implemented in the the Republic of Moldova the EU Twinning project “Support to the modernization of Customs Service of Moldova in line with AA requirements”. The experts’ team leaded by the Lithuanian Customs assisted the Customs Service of the Republic of Moldova to strengthen the control of movement of goods at the Moldovan border in accordance with the international requirements and to simplify formalities for trade in goods. 

 

In 2017 - 2020, the Lithuanian Customs as a Junior Partner together with the Agency for European Integration and Economic Development (AEI, Project Leader), acting in close co-operation with the Austrian Customs Administration, implemented in North Macedonia the EU Twinning project “Strengthening the operational and institutional capacities of the Customs Administration”. The overall objective of the project was to additionally strengthen the administrative capacity of the Customs Administration of North Macedonia and its capacity to implement the Acquis and reforms to meet the EU requirements in the area of Customs and bring the country closer to the EU Market and the Customs Union.

 

 

In November 2022, a study visit was organized at the Lithuanian Customs to familiarize Moldavian Customs officials with the best practices of the Lithuanian Customs in the authorization and control of the customs warehousing procedure.

In February 2023, TAIEX study visit organized at the Lithuanian Customs in order to provide Moldovian Customs officials with the knowledge on implementing Regulation of the new Customs Code, and sharing the best practices of the Lithuanian Customs in the field of customs valuation of goods, with a view to harmonizing the national legislation with the Community legislation and subsequently applying them in practice.

In June 2023, the Lithuanian Customs experts conducted workshops in Chisinau (Moldova) on the administration of payment, guarantees, repayment and remission as well as the ones covering the topics on familiarisation with simplified procedures, customs decisions and forms of declarations.

In September 2023, a study visit was organized at the Lithuanian Customs to familiarize Moldavian Customs officials with information systems solutions, EU legislation and the practice of implementation of the provisions in Lithuanian Customs in the areas of administration of payment, application of guarantees, repayment and remission.

In November 2023, the Lithuanian Customs expert conducted a seminar in Tbilisi (Sakartvel) on the application of international sanctions imposed by the EU.

 

Participation in the International Missions

The Lithuanian Customs representatives participate in the European Union Border Assistance Mission to Ukraine and Moldova (EUBAM) and in the European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM Georgia).

Last updated: 15-07-2024