25 June is Customs Officer’s Day in Ukraine
Every year on 25 June, Ukraine celebrates Ukrainian Customs Officers’ Day. This is a professional holiday for customs service staff who monitor the movement of goods across the state border, ensure customs security and combat the illegal trafficking of goods.
The date of the holiday was not chosen at random. It was on 25 June 1991 that the Law of Ukraine ‘On Customs in Ukraine’ was adopted, which laid the foundations for the modern Ukrainian customs system.
Ukrainian Customs Officers’ Day was officially established by Presidential Decree No. 251/2020. Since then, the professional holiday has been celebrated annually on 25 June.
Today, the State Customs Service of Ukraine performs key functions in the implementation of the state’s customs policy. The main tasks of customs officers include ensuring customs security and protecting the state’s economic interests, creating favourable conditions for the development of foreign economic activity, and maintaining a balance between customs control and the facilitation of legitimate trade.
Combating smuggling and breaches of customs regulations remains a vital part of the customs service’s work. Customs officers also counter the illegal movement of weapons, narcotic substances and cultural artefacts.
A separate area of work relates to generating revenue for the state budget. A significant proportion of budget revenue is generated through customs duties, excise duties and value-added tax on imports.
Ukraine also continues to implement European customs standards. The digitisation of processes and the automation of customs clearance are ongoing, with a view to further integration into the European Union’s customs area.
During the full-scale war, the role of Ukrainian customs officers has grown significantly. They ensure the swift clearance of humanitarian aid, military cargo and critically important imports, whilst simultaneously strengthening controls on new logistics routes.
