OREANDA-NEWS. November 11, 2009. Russian-American Supply Chain Security seminar took place at the Russian FCS.

The seminar was attended by heads and representatives of the services of the Central Department of the Russian FCS, Main Communications Computation Center of the Russian FCS, Central Customs Authority, as well as teaching staff from the Russian Customs Academy.

The US Bureau of Customs and Border Protection was presented by Head of International Department of the Russian Cooperation Program, Head of the European Branch of the International Department, Head of the Foreign and Customs Organizations Cooperation Division of the International Department, and Head of the Department of the Export Control and Border of the US Embassy in Russia Safety Program.

Head of the Russian FCS Customs Cooperation Authority Sergey Konovalenko opened the seminar. He pointed out that cooperation between customs services of Russia and the USA has become markedly more intense recently, especially concerning experience exchange and staff training. 

Questions of providing security at the customs optimization of international trade, including adoption of advance information sharing technology were at the agenda. The USA Customs representatives shared experience in working with informational systems of interested organizations (carriers, sea and airports administrations, participants of Foreign Economic Activities), cooperation with other customs services in terms of mutual recognition of customs control results, especially with usage of inspection search complexes, establishing relations with business community, forecasting possible risks on the basis of advance information.

Bilateral cooperation between Customs Services of Russia and the USA is based on intergovernmental On Cooperation and Mutual Aid in Customs Affairs agreement dated September 28, 1994, which settles a wide range of questions and allows to cooperate in the field of staff training, intellectual property rights protection, information sharing as well as in the field of customs offence control.