Customs Union Commission might be reshaped

"Major amendments to the agreement on the Customs Union Commission are being drafted. SCC is working on the document. I can only say that the commission is facing a significant remodeling," Alexander Adereiko said.

According to BelTA, the Customs Union Commission comprises three members from each Customs Union member state represented by vice-premiers. The current structure is set to be altered. There are also plans to establish the Customs Union Council to act as the Customs Union supreme body as well as a permanent board consisting of representatives from each member state, Alexander Adereiko said.

The official also told about other alterations the customs legalization face, including the Customs Union laws. The course of events proved that the Customs Code of the Customs Union requires adjustment. The Customs Union Secretariat has already tasked the Customs Union competent bodies to prepare proposals for amendments and additions to the Customs Code of the Customs Union.

Belarus has already launched the work, but it is still too early to talk about any concrete proposals, Alexander Adereiko considers. "We have received proposals from our Russian and Kazakhstan colleagues. We will be able to form the common approaches by the end of the month," Alexander Adereiko said. All amendments and addenda to the Customs Code will be discussed at the next meeting of the customs bodies of the three countries.

Besides, Belarus is working hard to harmonize the national legislation with the Customs Union laws. The State Customs Committee has drawn up the relevant action plan and set up a taskforce for drafting the bill on customs regulation in Belarus. "The draft law will replace the Customs Code of Belarus. The norms and provisions that are not regulated by the Customs Union legislation as well as the approaches and procedures left for regulation at the national level are to be finalized and included into the new bill on customs regulation," Alexander Adereiko said.

The draft law on customs regulation will be worked out by the State Customs Committee within the next two or three months. The document should be submitted to the government in May 2012.