Moscow Hosts BRICS Customs Services Events

BRICS customs services held meetings on digitalization, authorized economic operators, and law enforcement cooperation in Moscow on 24–26 July 2024 as part of Russia’s BRICS Chairship.

During a meeting on the digitalization and intellectualization of customs infrastructure, the parties exchanged experience in introducing their own IT solutions.

As part of a session devoted to authorized economic operators (AEO), the parties continued working on a project for the mutual recognition of the status of AEOs in BRICS countries, which they all actively use. Its mutual recognition would significantly reduce administrative and logistical costs for those involved in foreign economic activities. At present, the Russian Federal Customs Service has signed three agreements on the mutual recognition of AEOs with BRICS countries (China, India, and Iran). Extending the programme to the entire association would considerably simplify international trade and increase the level of trust between its members.

During a meeting on law enforcement, the parties exchanged best practices in combatting smuggling and identified priority areas for practical cooperation. The agreements reached as part of the Federal Customs Service’s customs track will be formalized in September 2024 by the heads of the BRICS customs services.

The Roscongress Foundaton manages the events of Russia’s BRICS Chairship.