Netherlands and Russia team up

Robber Appeldoorn & Peter Willemse In 2010, container vessels transported almost 446,000 TEU between Rotterdam and the Russian ports; an increase of 57 percent compared to 2009. With the total trade between the Netherlands and Russia currently amounting to over 15.5 billion euros annually, the Customs services of the two countries have ample reason to strive for optimum cooperation. The appointment of Robbert Appeldoorn as Customs attaché to the Russian Federation in Moscow as per the 1st of September 2011 is one way to help achieve this goal. "We dispatch Customs attachés to countries which have substantial trade flows with the Netherlands," says Peter Willemse, Coordinator Customs Liaisons at the national Customs Administration. "By doing this, we aim to further improve the cooperation with fellow customs organisations and thus streamline the handling of customs formalities."

Dutch Customs currently has attachés in Ankara (Turkey), Beijing (China), Brussels (especially for European policy and legislation), Budapest (which covers six Central and Eastern European countries) and, since the 1st of September 2011, also in Moscow, Russia.

"Of course, there is already formal customs cooperation between the Netherlands and Russia," explains Robbert Appeldoorn who is based at the Dutch embassy in Moscow. "My task is to further stimulate that relationship and, on the basis of mutual equality, further develop it." The Customs attaché stresses that both organisations can learn from each other.

"Russia for example is making a lot of capital-intensive investments in technology such as ultramodern scan and detection equipment. That is interesting for us as well. Conversely, the Russians could possibly learn from our advanced risk analysis methods. Which shipments are worth inspecting?"

Distinguished guests

The exact details of the cooperation still need to be further fleshed out. After all, Appeldoorn’s three-year appointment has only just started. The first success has however already been achieved. In mid November 2011, a high Russian customs delegation headed by second-in-command Vladimir Malinin paid a visit to the top of Dutch Customs in order to further concretise possible areas of cooperation. "In that respect, we are always bound by the customs policy of the European Union. But within this European framework, the Netherlands can play a significant role by identifying good practices and looking for ways to stimulate cooperation."

Documentation 100 percent in order

Both customs officers understand that the primary concern of logistics companies which serve Russia is that cargo always arrives at its destination at a predictable time. Border formalities can sometimes hinder this. Appeldoorn: "By ensuring that their documents are 100 percent in order, companies can however substantially increase the likelihood of a smooth cargo flow." The Customs attaché places great value on regularly hearing from entrepreneurs about their practical experiences. "That way, we can make a positive contribution to improve the situation. This always occurs at a higher level than the individual one. My job is to create structure, not to act on incidents alone. My duties as a Customs attaché should benefit the entire business sector."

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