Ukraine Gate- Kyiv – May 21, 2022 – The State Customs Service has stated that the European Union and its partner countries “the United States, Great Britain, Australia and Canada” will suspend the participation of Russia and Belarus in the work of the World Customs Organization.
The European Union and its partner countries also expressed their support for Ukraine and condemned the Russian invasion, including respecting Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence. This invasion casts doubt on Russia’s respect for all international institutions, regulations, and rules.
In a statement, the signatories to the agreement noted that the organization was established to enhance cooperation among its members on customs issues and aims to standardize customs for a safe and prosperous world. However, Putin’s aggression with the active support of the Belarusian regime against another member of the WCO, in addition To the unforgivable violence against civilians and infrastructure, it also extended to the customs and customs of one of the members of the organization, especially Russia destroyed all the borders, the crossings of Ukraine, Russia and Belarus, so it would be inappropriate for the organization to remain neutral and ignore this unprecedented aggression from one member to another.
The European Union and its partner countries have also stated that they will use all possible means to effectively limit or suspend the participation of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus in the work of the organization.
These measures may include preventing the Presidencies of Russia and Belarus from the work of all WCO bodies, including the Political Committee, the Finance Committee and the Audit Committee. For security reasons and to enable all members to continue working on the basis of cooperation and trust, the participation of representatives of Russia and Belarus in all working bodies of the WCO is not appropriate, and the signatories also demand the suspension of all funding programs for Russia and Belarus implemented by the WCO to ensure that their implementation or continuity It will not contribute, even indirectly, to the financing of military aggression against Ukraine.
At the conclusion of the statement, the signatories to the statement called on the World Customs Organization to do everything in its power to assist the Ukrainian customs in carrying out its activities against this aggression, and promised to continue to call on Russia and Belarus to fulfill their international obligations to maintain at the international level.
