International trade challenges and conceptual changes in Lithuanian customs activities

Straipsnyje skaitytojui pristatoma labai sudėtinga ir permaininga Lietuvos muitinės istorinė raida, analizuojami ekonomikos globalizacijos sąlygomis Europos Sąjungos muitinėms keliami tarptautinės prekybos reikalavimai ir siekiama atsakyti į klausimą, koks XXI amžiaus Lietuvos muitinės vaidmuo siekiant veiksmingo tarptautinės prekybos daugiašališkumo. Atsakant į šį klausimą nagrinėjama naujoji tarptautinės prekybos ir muitinės veiklos filosofija, formuluojamos jos administracinės veiklos modelio formavimo, naujosios vadybos diegimo problemos. Pasinaudojant mokslo sričių ryšiais bei taikant tyrimo metodus (lyginamąjį istorinį, stebėjimo, praktinės patirties apibendrinimo, sisteminės analizės ir kt.), straipsnyje siekiama formuluoti naujosios Europos muitinės veiklos apibrėžimą-koncepciją. Taigi pagrindinis analizės objektas – kryptingas Lietuvos muitinės veiklos tobulinimas ieškant atsako į tarptautinės prekybos politikos reikalavimus: siekti ekonominio efekto muitinės priemonėmis gerinant sąlygas tarptautinei prekybai, garantuoti rinkos ir tarptautinės prekybos grandinės patikimą saugumą.Customs is one of the principal state’s institutions which protect interests of the state and is an attribute of state’s independency. The state having defined its territory borders, establishes customs offices in order to protect its economic and political interests, to be secure from flows of undesirable goods and persons. Every single state has its own peculiarities; therefore, national customs are quite different in each state. There have been various stages in history of the Lithuanian customs: ups and painful downs, long years of silence and a stage of reestablishment which brought a joyful period of joining democratic European customs community. On the other hand, customs of Western European countries share many traditions, features of common culture of activities. Therefore, facing challenges of a living period, determined by the economic integration of states, globalization processes, it is possible to solve problems commonly, to expand functions of customs, to establish modern models of their activities. Thus, the article presents to the reader a very complex and changeable development of Lithuanian customs; requirements of international trade to customs of the European Union states under conditions of economic globalization are analyzed; a question “What will the Lithuanian customs be like in the 21st century?” is attempted to be answered. In order to answer this question, a new philosophy of activities of the customs is analyzed as well as formation of a model of administrative activities and difficulties of its implementation in solving problems of international trade. Having employed interdisciplinary relations and methods of analysis (historical comparative, monitoring, generalizing of practical experience, systematic analysis) the article attempts to formulate a definition-conception of activities of new European customs. Therefore, the principal object of the analysis is a purposeful improvement of Lithuanian customs activities while looking for the answers to challenges of international trade: to facilitate international trade while ensuring security of a link of network of international trade. A brief historical survey of customs and evaluation of the situation from a modern perspective allows us to make at least some general conclusions: principal functions of customs activities are as follows: – raising income to the budget and physical control of the customs; – trade data gathering for establishment of unified statistical data base and control of free movement of goods; – efficient management of the border by creating favourable conditions for movement of goods, capital, and information, and by sustaining international competitive ability of business; – implementation of legal acts regulating four freedoms of movement (that of persons, goods, services and capital) while ensuring national security. The customs is one of the principal institutions of state apparatus to which the state entrusted to implement, according to its competence, fiscal, administrative, statistical and organizational activities. Thus, the results and mode of its activities to a certain extent is determined by the state’s politics, consistent management of organization which reflects political air. This means that in substance Western states’ traditional functions of the customs remain the same. Nowadays, it faces requirements related not only to strengthening management state which is under development, but also to strengthening it, to filling its garner, protecting well-being of its people. On the other hand, progress made in the spheres of science, technologies, and growing degree and diversity of offences of customs law require to constantly improving methods of activities, to solving problems of modern times, and to taking more responsibility for security of the state and enterprises, their economic interests. Formation of traditions of customs activities and their development is determined by changes in the international trade. Thus, the challenge for customs originating from the international trade is a requirement to simplify procedures, to facilitate conditions of the trade while ensuring free and speedy movement and control of goods, and also to better ensure security of society – this requires a new approach towards activities of these institutions and encourages to create a new conception of state border control which would meet the requirements of the times