The fifth module of the Project "EU Authorized Economic Operator Program: Implementation in Ukraine" (EUAEOUA) within the framework of the implementation of the Erasmus+ program Jean Monnet action has been successfully conducted on May 27-31, 2024 in Vinnytsia on the base of the Vinnytsia Institute of Trade and Economic (VITE of SUTE) in a mixed format.

65 listeners took part in the module, including civil servants (Ministry of Finance of Ukraine, State Customs Service of Ukraine), business representatives (manufacturers, logistics and customs brokerage companies), customs officials, customs brokers, representatives of public organizations, scientists and lecturers, students various specialties and educational programs of VITE of SUTE and other HEIs of Ukraine.

It is worth noting the direct participation with the report "Practical issues related with the authorization of AEO, obtaining simplifications" and professional discussions of the representatives of the Vinnytsia Customs office of the State Customs Service of Ukraine – Oleksandr MAKOVIY – head of the department for ensuring customs control and clearance, Iryna MELNYK – chief state inspector of the department for ensuring customs control and clearance and Olga GUK – the chief state inspector of the organizational and administrative department, a graduate of SUTE.

Speakers of the project (Prof. Taras KARAVAYEV, Prof. Ganna DUGINETS, Assoc. prof.  Oksana ZOLOTAROVA) held a total of 40 hours of scientific seminars, devoted to the coverage of such basic issues of the functioning of authorized economic operators (AEOs), such as:

• AEO program: experience of the EU and countries of the world;
• types of AEO authorization: criteria, simplification and benefits;
• preparation of the enterprise for obtaining AEO authorization. Filling out a self-assessment questionnaire;
• verification by customs authorities of compliance of enterprises with AEO criteria;
• problems and prospects of the implementation of the AEO program in Ukraine.

In the 5^th module, the speakers updated the statistics of obtaining AEO status and individual authorizations for simplification in Ukraine and the world as of May 2024, improved the program for better mastery by participants of issues related to the preparation of enterprises to obtain AEO status in Ukraine, conducting assessments of compliance with AEO criteria by customs authorities, as well as added practical materials and detailed problematic issues in this area.

At the end of the educational and methodological module, the representatives of the Vinnytsia Customs office on behalf of the management thanked for the organization of this event and expressed readiness for further cooperation.

Conducting the module was additional step for the implementation of the AEO Program in Ukraine, taking into account the experience of the EU and countries around the world, an example of effective cooperation in relations university-customs-business.

The speakers of the EUAEOUA project are sincerely grateful to the administration of the Vinnytsia Institute of Trade and Economic, personally to the director Professor Nataliia ZAMKOVA for all-round assistance in organizing and conducting the 5th module of the Project, and to all participants for fruitful and constructive discussion and positive feedback.

We invite new listeners to participate in the 6^th module, which will be held in October this year. Follow our announcements on the EUAEOUA project page on the DTEU website by calling: https://knute.edu.ua/blog/read/?pid=44705&uk

Taras Karavayev,
professor of the Department of Commodity Science and Customs Affairs,
coordinator of the EUAEOUA project