To familiarise business community representatives with regulatory legal acts amendments and discuss emerging issues, the second meeting of the Public Advisory Council under the Vitebsk Customs (hereinafter referred to as PAC) for the current year was held on 23.07.2025.
The PAC meeting was attended by representatives of the Vitebsk Customs, local executive authorities, public associations, state organisations, the Chairman of the Republican Union of Customs Relations Participants (hereinafter referred to as RSUCR), as well as 14 representatives of the largest enterprises and organisations of the Vitebsk region engaged in foreign economic activities, international freight transportation, logistics, and customs affairs.
The meeting addressed topical issues of confirming the country of origin of goods within the framework of the Free Trade Agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union and its member states, on the one hand, and the Islamic Republic of Iran, on the other hand, which entered into force on 15.05.2025. This Agreement serves as a basis for liberalising and simplifying trade in goods between the participating countries, granting them preferential treatment, including exemption from or reduction of import customs duties on goods.
Furthermore, during the meeting, the requirements for structures, premises (parts of premises) and/or open areas (parts of open areas) where temporary storage of goods, completion of the customs procedure of customs transit and/or customs control will be carried out, as well as for vehicles and employees of a legal entity applying for inclusion in the register of authorised economic operators, approved by Decision of the EEC Board No. 131 of 3 October 2017, were reviewed.
Meeting participants were informed about the activities of RSUCR in 2024-2025 within the frameworks of the Public Advisory Council under the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Belarus, the Eurasian Economic Commission, the Council for Entrepreneurship Development, the Advisory Council under the Ministry of Taxes and Duties of the Republic of Belarus, as well as the International Union of Business Associations in Foreign Economic Activities.
In conclusion, the participants of the meeting asked the representatives of the customs authority and the Chairman of the RSUTO questions of interest, comprehensive answers to which were provided during the meeting.
The OCS serves as a favourable platform for discussing draft normative legal acts, as well as problematic issues that may significantly affect the conditions for carrying out entrepreneurial activities.