Eastern Partnership customs strategy to be constituted

An Eastern Partnership declaration is expected to be adopted following a three-day Eastern Neighborhood customs cooperation seminar that starts in the Polish city of Cracow today, the EU reported.

The declaration will constitute the Eastern Partnership customs strategy, specifying further steps for its adoption by EU member states, Eastern Partnership countries and the European Commission.

The main theme of the meeting will be creation of potential in the field of trade facilitation, and exchange of views and best practices on this topic.

It will discuss strategies for bilateral cooperation between the EU and eastern partnership countries and also, where possible, specific draft initiatives. It is also anticipated that there will be an exchange of experiences through presentation of best practices, both in regional cooperation and in bilateral relations.

The meeting is to be attended by the heads of the customs administrations of European Union member states and countries included in the eastern partnership.

The conference is a continuation of the involvement of EU customs authorities in the development of cooperation with eastern partnership countries this year. A similar conference was organized in April 2011 by the Hungarian Presidency.

The Eastern Partnership program, initiated by Poland and Sweden in 2008, seeks to bring the six post-Soviet countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine closer to the democratic and economic workings of the EU.


/Trend/