Central Customs Office closed and replaced with regional offices

As of the May 1, the government is to launch its planned reorganization of the customs administration, which is one of the main policies of the SLD-UP-PSL coalition. The Central Customs Office (GUC) is to be closed and its responsibilities to be taken over by 17 regional offices and the Finance Ministry. All 67 of the custom departments will be transformed into independent custom-houses. The government said the changes are being introduced in order to facilitate customs procedures, shorten the time needed to clear goods and to decrease the costs of international trade. The revolutionized system will affect businesses rather than tourists. "Last year saw lower revenues from duties than was expected. Custom duties account for over 30% of the state budget," said Tomasz Michalak, the head of GUC. According to unofficial estimates the new customs system will cost around zl. 10 million. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 20; Prawo i Gospodarka, p. 9) A.K.