OREANDA-NEWS. October 11, 2016. Acute issues and directions of further cooperation between the customs authorities of Ukraine and Turkey were the topics for discussion during a meeting of SFS Chairman Roman Nasirov with a team of the Ministry of Customs and Trade of Turkey on October 10, 2016.

"Our common goal is to create comfortable conditions for Ukrainian and Turkish businesses through providing quality services and further improving of customs procedures", said Roman Nasirov.

He noted that the trade turnover between Ukraine and Turkey from the beginning of 2016 had amounted to over USD 2 billion, with USD 1.4 billion as exports, and USD 667 million as imports.

"I believe that countries having a large turnover and an even greater potential for the development of trade and economic relations must enhance cooperation in the customs sphere", said the SFS Chairman.

So, over the recent period the State Fiscal Service has carried out considerable work on reforming the customs bodies and simplification of customs procedures. To participate in the process the SFS is actively attracting foreign partners, in particular the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Service, the IMF and the EU. And in this framework the development of collaboration between the customs authorities of Ukraine and Turkey is viewed as crucial.

According to Roman Nasirov, the Turkish side has submitted draft interdepartmental documents aimed at strengthening cooperation between the customs authorities of the two countries and creating favourable conditions for business activity of Ukraine and Turkey.

Currently, the discussion of issues regarding exchange of preliminary information between the customs agencies of the two countries, cooperation in the exchange of customs statistical data is underway.

"We have good prerequisites for active cooperation in the framework of the World Customs Organization and the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation. Moreover, new prospects are opening up in connection with the launch in August of 2016 of a Regional Cynological Centre of the World Customs Organization in Kmelnytsky", emphasized the Chairman of the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine.