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Customs Lays Itself out of Old Skin
Milda Manomaityte
Having exerted every effort for preparation of the EU
membership, Lithuania does not come to a stop page and actively participates in changes.
The broadened assembly of the Presidium of the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists
together with Customs Department of the Republic of Lithuania on May 4 in Klaipeda
introduced businessmen to the most important innovations of customs activities.
The European Union will be protected by our
exterior border
“From now on the Lithuanian Customs is responsible for the
safety of the exterior border of the EU”, emphasized Rimutis Klevecka, the Director of
Customs Department of the Lithuanian Republic during the meeting. He said that the
Lithuanian Customs Office became an inseparable part of the European Union goods’
movement control institution and is responsible for the security of imported goods from
the third countries.
“To ensure this security much attention will be paid to control on exterior borders of
the EU. The Lithuanian Customs Office will continue to receive still increasing
requirements”, Sarunas Avizienis, the Head of Duty Law Coordination Department of
Customs Department repeats the thought of R.Klevecka.
Besides, to S.Avizienis words, for trade with the Ukraine preferential tariffs will not be
applied anymore, only the common tariff of the EU.
Closer control of VAT payers
After abrogation of borders with the EU, while filling in the
documents one must pay attention to VAT code. “Businessmen should be especially
attentive whether goods are sent to VAT payer. If VAT code is not indicated, this tax
shall be paid by a sender himself”, warns Violeta Latviene, the Head of State Tax
Inspectorate under the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania.
V.Latviene informed that in case of uncertainty, businessmen can apply by e-mail
vies@vmi.lt to Information Exchange Department of State Tax Inspectorate under the
Ministry of Finance and check at once, whether their trade partner in the EU is registered
as VAT payer in his country. They can also check the same information in the internet at http://europa.eu.int/vies.
Opportunities of inland waters tourism
At the meeting Valerijus Ponomariovas, the Vice-Minister of
Transport and Communications of the Republic of Lithuania, said that the change will be
most felt by the Lithuanian road carriers. “Now to go to EU countries they no longer
need licenses earlier issued by multilateral or bilateral agreements. These licenses have
been changed by Community permits. Besides, the Lithuanian carriers that ealier used to
operate inside the country, were given an opportunity to start international activities
and enter the EU market. They can also increase the number of their automobiles without
any restrictions”, names the advantages V.Ponomariovas.
The Vice-Minister of Transport and Communications told that the EU pays exceptional
attention to making stricter requirements of safe shipping and prevention of pollution
from vessels, and this may increase shipping expenses.
V.Ponomariovas expects that with the utilisation of EU funds, having established relevant
logistics centres and constructed European track railway, expectations that inland
waterways transport will find its niche in the common economy are quite realistic. The
Vice-Minister also informed that possibilities to connect the Lithuanian and European
inland waterways are under discussion.
Railways will be modernized
Jonas Birziskis, the Director General of AB Lietuvos
Gelezinkeliai, says that he has an interest that cargo would go via Klaipeda port and puts
all efforts to set most favourable transportation tariffs to businessmen.
However, according to J.Birziskis, the attitude of Russia concerning the tariffs does not
prepossess.
“We do not need to expect the Russian cargo. The policy of tariffs of this country does
not change, and if this will continue, there will be no Russian cargo at all, except for
oil. I think that they should let Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai to carry on negotiations
themselves, or little by little increase the tariffs to Kaliningrad”, says J.Birziskis.
According to him, the main task of the coming year is improving roads, so that it would be
possible to carry cargo by railways of up to 100 km/h speed.
“We are investing most to the infrastructure, in 2003 to the segment Kaunas-Klaipeda we
have invested 84,1 million litas. We are also planning to buy 34 new locomotives in
May”, J.Birziskis shares future plans.
Information system in the port
According to Sigitas Dobilinskas, the Director General of
Klaipeda State Seaport Authority, the port is ready to work in the European Union.
“In Klaipeda State Seaport 3 posts of customs control – Molo, Pilies, and Malku
Ilankos are established. In these posts the sites of veterinary and phytosanitation
detailed control with necessary infrastructure complying the EU requirements are
operating”, says S.Dobilinskas.
As the director general of KSSA says, it is planned to introduce a modernized information
system, the main function of which is to create conditions to declare goods and cargo
transported via state seaport to Lithuanian Customs electronically via internet and
present electronic orders to stevedoring companies.
“Besides, customs will get preliminary information about the coming vessels and goods
transported by them. From the basis of it the risk analysis will be carried out and
decisions made concerning the necessity of physical goods’ control. This will
substantially shorten the length of cargo transportation via Klaipeda seaport, because if
the cargo was of a little risk, a physical goods’ control in customs would not be
carried out”, says S.Dobilinskas.
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