Capacity building the BCP’s of the Republic of Lithuania

ongoing

In the context of nowadays geopolitical situation Lithuania as a country having an external border with Belarus and Russia is experiencing permanent pressure and challenges. The task for Lithuanian authorities is to ensure the security and safety of the EU, to protect the EU from illegal trade at the same time not to make any barriers for the legitimate business. Lithuanian Customs is very much involved in this task and because of this should be equipped with an appropriate instrument for efficient control of the transport and the goods crossing the border. Inspections based on a risk analysis of imported and exported goods and performed with innovative equipment are the basis for customs control to prevent the illegal movement of goods. Effective customs control speeds up customs formalities and facilitates legitimate business activity. Lithuanian Customs applicates for financing the procurement of BCP's customs control equipment. The application consists of the 13 (12 after the amendment) work packages covering road, rail, seaport, airport and post office BCPs. The need for customs control equipment was determined by assessing the traffic volume and the need to carry out customs inspection at each BCP, as well as current equipment situation or lack of it. The work packages include planned procurement of the following customs control equipment: X-ray scanners (railway stationary, road stationary, road mobile, baggage/pallet stationary, handheld backscatters), endoscopes, Raman spectrometers and Mobile radiation detection devices. Part of this equipment in the BCPs will be new, the other part will replace the currently used obsolete and worn-out equipment. The newly acquired customs control equipment will be situated at the Lithuanian-Belarusian and Lithuanian-Russian BCPs, also in Klaipeda Seaport, Palanga and Kaunas Airports, Vilnius Post of the Post Office, Customs Mobile Groups and mostly will be used to control smuggled cigarettes, pharmaceuticals, drugs and other illegal goods.