WCO, EURASEC SIGN MEMO OF UNDERSTANDING

BRUSSELS, June 26 (RIA Novosti's Alexander Shishlo) - The World Customs Organization (WCO) and the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC) that comprises Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Kyrghyzstan (Ukraine, Armenia, and Moldova have observer statuses) signed a memorandum of understanding in Brussels on Friday. The document was signed by WCO General Director Michel Danet and EurAsEC Secretary General Grigory Rapota.

The chief of the WCO that groups 162 countries was pleased that the memo was signed, the initiative that was supported by Russia's State Customs Committee.

Mr. Danet said to representatives of the EurAsEC countries that now on the WCO could accept requests, raise funds and implement programs to reform the national customs services thereby promoting economic growth.

"We have been cooperating with the WCO for two years now. EurAsEC has been granted the status of its regional customs center," said Mr. Rapota.

The five member-countries are working to create the single economic space within EurAsEC, Mr. Rapota told RIA Novosti. "There is the council of customs chiefs that is dealing with the problem. Since EurAsEC is not a closed club it seeks cooperation with the whole of the international community. The memorandum with the WCO is therefore a step towards achieving this goal," said Mr. Rapota.

Mr. Rapota emphasized that the WCO had singled out the Russian Customs Academy as a regional center for training customs experts.