The World Customs Organization

The World Customs Organization (WCO) is an intergovernmental organization headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. With its worldwide membership, the WCO is recognized as the voice of the global customs community. It is particularly noted for its work in areas covering the development of international conventions, instruments, and tools on topics such as commodity classification, valuation, rules of origin, collection of customs revenue, supply chain security, international trade facilitation, customs enforcement activities, combating counterfeiting in support of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), integrity promotion, and delivering sustainable capacity building to assist with customs reforms and modernization. The WCO maintains the international Harmonized System (HS) goods nomenclature, and administers the technical aspects of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreements on Customs Valuation and Rules of Origin.

Unit 2.

CUSTOMS CONTROL

Warm up

Exercise 1.Nowadays a lot of people spend their holidays abroad. Have you ever been abroad? Have you passed through customs control? Do you know how to fill in the declaration?

Exercise 2.Match the English words on the left with their Russian equivalents on the right. Learn the words by heart.

1. a customs border	a) зеленый/красный коридор;
2. customs clearance	b) культурные ценности;
3. assets	c) таможенная граница;
4. a green/red corridor	d) декларировать;
5. to declare	e) истечение срока действия;
6. a refugee	f) имущество; активы;
7. constant residence	g) изучение; проверка;
8. cultural values	h) растаможка, таможенное оформление;
9. an inquiry	i) постоянный житель;
10. expiry	j) беженец.

READING

Exercise 3.Read and translate the following text. Use the dictionary when necessary.

Customs Control in Russia

All goods moved across the customs border of the Russian Federation are subject to customs clearance and control.

Customs clearance and control of goods carried by individuals across the border of the Russian Federation involve the red and the green corridors. Corridors shall have proper marking in Russian and in English: “Nothing to Declare” for the green corridor, and “Goods to Declare” for the red corridor.

Passengers who have nothing to declare, or carry exclusively goods exempt from customs duties and taxes (i.e. exempt from export/import restrictions and bans) should take the greencorridor. Passengers who carry goods subject to mandatory declaration (i.e. subject to customs duties, cost and quantity restrictions, etc.) should take the redcorridor.

In order not to have problems with customs services while crossing the border of the Russian Federation it is necessary to know what and in what quantity can be taken with you in the trip. The maximum total cost of the goods imported by you should not exceed 1500 Euros, and their cumulative weight – 50 kg. For extra goods imported duties and taxes are paid on the rate at 30 % from customs cost but not less than 4 Euros per 1 kg of weight above permitted standard. Only 3 liters of alcoholic drinks (including beer), 200 pieces of cigarettes, 50 pieces of cigars, 250 grams tobacco can be brought free of charge.

It is possible to import at a time internal securities, currency of the Russian Federation, currency values and the traveller’s cheques which total cost is equal in an equivalent or less than 10,000 US dollars without written declaring into the Russian Federation.

If you constantly live outside the Russian Federation for the period of stay in Russia you can import all necessary subjects of the private use not intended for sale. The refugees, the compelled immigrants and also those who comes to Russia on a constant residence can import everything that had been acquired by them earlier without payment customs duties and taxes, without restriction of a total cost and weight, except for the car.

At departure from the territory of Russia the same rules operate concerning private use subjects as at import. But if there is a necessity to take out cultural values got during your stay in Russia it is necessary to be aware that: first of all, it is necessary to include the things bought into the declaration and to show their photo on border; secondly, the inquiry from the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation is necessary that the things taken out are not on file of the state account. According to the Law “About Cultural Values Export and Import” cultural values are understood as the movable subjects of a material world located on the territory of the Russian Federation.

Assets on plastic cards require no declaration, regardless of whether the passenger is a resident or otherwise. Imports of the assets on plastic cards are subject to no restrictions.

A Customs Declaration shall be filled in by each individual aged 16+. Goods of individuals aged under 16 shall be declared by the accompanying parent, adoptive parent, foster parent or guardian, and for organized exit/entry and return trip of a group of underage individuals unaccompanied by any such parents, adoptive parents, foster parents or guardians – by the supervisor of any such group.

Foreign individuals may import goods (excepting, however, vehicles) for personal use in the Russian Federation during their stay in this country on a temporary basis, free of customs duties and taxes. To this effect, foreign individuals shall declare the said goods, take the Red Corridor and present the filled out declaration on their return trip. If the said goods are not removed from the customs territory of the Russian Federation upon the expiry of the established term, they shall be subject to customs duties and taxes in accordance with Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation.

Exercise 4.Consult the text and find the English equivalents to the following word combinations.

1. подвергаться; 2. соответствующая разметка; 3. перевозить товары; 4. обязательное декларирование; 5. пересекать границу; 6. совокупный вес; 7. максимальная стоимость импортируемых товаров; 8. разрешенный стандарт; 9. личное пользование; 10. предназначаться для.

Exercise 5.Decide whether the following statements are true or false. Correct the false ones.

1. High-capacity goods moved across the customs border of the Russian Federation are subject to customs clearance and control. 2. Passengers who have nothing to declare, or carry exclusively goods exempt from customs duties and taxes should take the Redcorridor. 3. It is obligatory to declare cultural values. 4. A Customs Declaration shall be filled in by each individual aged 18+. 5. Imports of the assets on plastic cards more than 10,000$ are subject to restrictions.

Exercise 6.Answer the following questions. Use the text when necessary.

1. What does customs clearance and control of goods involve? 2. What kind of passengers should follow the Red corridor? 3. What is the maximum cost cumulative weight of goods you can import without paying custom fees? 4. How much should you pay for extra goods? 5. What can the refugees, immigrants and those who come to Russia on a constant residence import? 6. What should you do if you want to export cultural values? 7. What assets on plastic cards require declaration? 8. Who declares goods of individuals aged under 16? 9. When can foreign individuals import goods free of custom duties and taxes? 10. Why is it necessary to know what and in what quantity can be taken with you in the trip?

Exercise 7.Give a short summary of the text.

Exercise 8.Now read and translate the text about the UK Customs Control. Use the dictionary when necessary.

UK Customs Control

If you travel to the UK by air, you will probably arrive at one of London’s main international airports, Heathrow or Gatwick; or one of the big regional airports, such as Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh or Glasgow. Some airports are large and have several terminals, and you will need to follow signs to find your way out. If you travel by sea you will probably arrive at one of the Channel Ports – Dover, Folkestone or Harwich are the most likely. It is also possible to arrive in London on the Eurostar train, which travels through the Channel Tunnel, or to bring a car through the Tunnel on a shuttle train. Please note that if you travel by Eurostar, you will go through UK Immigration Control in France before you board the Eurostar.

If you arrive at an airport, you pass through immigration control first (before collecting your luggage). There are usually two main queues: one for European Economic Area and Swiss nationals, and one for everyone else. Make sure you join the correct queue. An Immigration Officer will look at your passport and check your Visa/Entry Clearance. Please note an important recent change: if you have a Tier 4 Entry Clearance/Visa and the Immigration Officer interviews you, they can refuse you entry to the UK if they are not satisfied that your level of English Language is adequate, for example if they consider that you are unable to answer simple questions in English.

You should also have your documents relating to your studies (letter from your university/college/school) and finances in your hand baggage. Before leaving Immigration Control, check that the Immigration Officer has put a date stamp (if you had a Visa or Entry Clearance) in your passport; or (if you are a non-Visa national coming for a course of less than six months) check that you have been stamped in as a “Student Visitor”. After immigration control, you will be able to collect your luggage. At most airports baggage is unloaded on to one of a number of moving belts in the baggage collection area. Look for your flight number and the name of the place your flight departed from on the screens or above the moving belts carousels and wait for each item of your baggage to appear. If any item does not come through, find a representative of the airline you travelled on and fill in a lost baggage form.

When you have found all your luggage you must pass through Customs control. Join the queue for either the green channel if you have nothing to declare, the red channel if you have goods to declare, or the blue channel if you have arrived from an airport within the European Economic Area (EEA) where you have already cleared all your luggage through customs control.

If you are traveling to the UK from a country outside the European Union and are carrying 10,000 Euros or more in cash, bankers draft or cheque of any kind (about £6,750 in pounds sterling or the equivalent in other currencies) you will be required to declare this at customs.

Forms on which to make the declaration will be available when you arrive and you will be given a copy of the completed form, which you should keep safely as evidence that you have made a declaration. Please note that a penalty of up to £5,000 can be imposed if you do not make this declaration or provide incorrect or incomplete information.

If you are carrying more than the permitted duty or tax free allowances, or any prohibited goods (e.g. drugs, offensive weapons, food or plants from outside the European Union, etc) you must pass through the red channel.

If you are not sure about what you can bring into the UK you should check with the British Embassy or High Commission in your home country before travelling to the UK.

Exercise 9.Choose the right answer.

1. If you travel to the UK by air, where will you probably arrive?

a) in Manchester or Liverpool;

b) in Edinburgh or Belfast;

c) at one of London’s main international or one of the big regional airports;

d) in London.

2. Where will you go through UK Immigration Control if you travel by Eurostar?

a) in France; b) in Germany; c) in the UK; d) in Belgium.

3. What do people do when they arrive at the airport?

a) find their luggage; b) pass through Customs control;

c) fill in the declaration form; d) pass through immigration control.

4. What does an Immigration Officer do?

a) looks through your passport; b) checks your visa;

c) looks through your passport and checks your visa; d) weighs your luggage.

5. Where can you find your luggage?

a) in a police station; b) on a moving belt;

c) at a luggage space; d) at a taxi station.

6. What Channel does not exist?

a) red; b) blue; c) white; d) green.

7. What sum of money is it necessary to declare?

a) 10,000 Dollars or more in cash; b) 10,000 Pounds or more in cash;

c) 10,000 Rubles or more in cash; d) 10,000 Euros or more in cash.

8. Why is it necessary to take a copy of the declaration of the completed form?

a) It serves as evidence that you have made a declaration;

b) You won’t be able to leave the country without it;

c) It is necessary to show it to police officers;

d) You will be able to make purchases at tax free shops if you have a copy.

9. What goods are not prohibited?

a) drugs, offensive weapons; b) clothes;

c) food or plants from outside the European Union; d) poisons and explosives.

10. Where should you check if you are not sure about what you can bring into the UK?

a) the British Embassy; b) the Queen;

c) the Parliament; d) the Customs officers.

Exercise 10.Translate the following terms into Russian. Give your own definition to them (in English) and learn these terms by heart.

1. a terminal; 2. a sign; 3. a date stamp; 4. an entry; 5. cash; 6. a penalty; 7. evidence; 8. an interview; 9. to check; 10. to arrive in/at.

Exercise 11. Write an outline of the text.

COMPREHENSION

Exercise 12.Fill in the table. Add two more categories for comparison.

	Arriving in the UK	Arriving in Russia
Corridors
Currency to declare
Forms of Control

Exercise 13. Fill in the gaps using the words given below, and translate the sentences into Russian.

cash refugees declaration checked evidence

inquiry interview cumulative declared value

1. The customs control found out that the description … with the photograph. 2. The tourist … the customs inspector’s actions to be illegal. 3. In the 19^th century there were lots of … coming to Britain from all corners of Europe. 4. Mr Smith was very tired after the exhaustive … at the Customs control. 5. His currency … turned out to be a fake. 6. Those tourists who have … more than 10,000 Euros have to declare it. 7. The plain … of facts is superior to all declarations. 8. Depression is often caused by the … effects of stress and overwork. 9. My former group-mate has a(n) … next Thursday for a job of an immigration officer. 10. There will be tax increases on a range of … and services.

Exercise 14.Replace the underlined words with the synonymous terms from the texts.

1. Going through the Red corridor involves check of goods you are importing in the country. 2. If a person carries too much cash while crossing the border he/she is subject to compulsory declaration. 3. The entire cost of all good you are carrying should not exceed 1,500 Euro otherwise you will have to pay customs duties. 4. The customs inspector ought in every case to be at work at about six in the morning. 5. The man was trying to smuggle several works of art such as ancient icons without any permission from the church. 6. His bank funds are numerous, and it is very difficult for the police to trace all of them. 7. When the Blacks family came to the country they didn’t even realize that there would be so many problems at the customs with their son’s toy gun. 8. Before registering their baggage they decided to wrap it in order not to have any further problems later. 9. There was a long queue at the carousels so many tourists had to wait for a long time. 10. What does the list of free imports include?

Exercise 15.a)Match the verbs on the left with the nouns on the right.

1. to carry goods	a) cultural values;
2. to pay taxes	b) Immigration control;
3. to be intended	c) on a moving belt;
4. to take out	d) exempt from custom duties;
5. to remove from	e) a date stamp;
6. to go through	f) a penalty;
7. to put	g) on the rate;
8. to join	h) the custom territory;
9. to unload	i) the correct queue;
10. to impose	j) for sale.

b) In the sentences below replace the Russian expressions with the phrases you have got. Use these expressions in the necessary form.

1. He always follows the green corridor as he always (перевозит только те товары, которые освобождены от уплаты пошлины). 2. Individuals can (платить налоги по ставке 13%) electronically. 3. Durians (предназначаются для продажи) only at the markets because of their awful smell. 4. When you (вывозите) overseas goods (с таможенной территории) pay attention to its cumulative weight. 5. Do you always (проходишь иммиграционный контроль) when you travel abroad? 6. The smuggler was stopped at the customs because he wanted (вывести культурные ценности). 7. The Customs inspector (поставил датировочный штемпель) in our passport without even looking at us. 8. In most airports nowadays all the luggage (разгружается на багажную ленту). 9. To save your time make sure you (встали в правильную очередь). 10. The customs inspector (наложил наказание) in the form of a fine on a group of tourists with expired visas.

WRITING AND COMMUNICATION

Exercise 16.Write an essay on one of the given topics and discuss it with your partner.

1. Customs Control and Clearance in the UK.

2. Customs Control and Clearance in Russia.

Exercise 17.Translate the following sentences from Russian into English.

1. При сдаче багажа оказалось, что его совокупный вес был больше допустимого, поэтому нам пришлось доплатить. 2. Сколько времени обычно требуется на растаможку груза? 3. Если вам нужно заполнить декларацию, вам надо следовать красным коридором. 4. Турист пытался убедить таможенника, что вывозимая им картина является не художественной ценностью, а всего лишь сувениром. 5. Даже быстрый досмотр пассажиров показал, что объявление террористической угрозы не было напрасным. 6. Ты заешь, в какой терминал прибывает самолет? 7. Он встал не в ту очередь и был зол после тридцатиминутного ожидания. 8. Какое наказание могут наложить таможенные органы? 9. Напишите название страны, в которой вы в настоящее время проживаете, в таможенной декларации. 10. Сотрудники таможенной службы могут настоять на заполнении вами таможенной декларации, особенно если вы путешествуете по популярным торговым маршрутам, например в Турцию.

PROJECT WORK

Imagine that you are customs officers. Divide into several groups and suggest your group-mates to fill in the customs declaration form.

Unit 3.

CONTRACT

Warm up

Exercise 1.Drafting of contracts between legal entities and individuals has become an essential part of our lives. And what do you know about contracts? What types of contracts do you know? What terms and compulsory conditions should be stated in contract?

Exercise 2.Match the English words on the left with their Russian equivalents on the right. Learn the words by heart.

1. continental law	a) субъект права, физическое или юридическое лицо;
2. a transaction	b) континентально-европейское право;
3. a legal person	c) письменная доверенность;
4. a tax authority	d) тяжба/судебный спор;
5. a legal entity	e) генеральный директор;
6. a representative office	f) налоговое управление;
7. a power of attorney	g) урегулирование споров/разногласий;
8. a chief executive officer	h) юридическое лицо;
9. a settlement of disputes	i) представительство;
10. controversy	j) сделка.

READING

Exercise 3.Read and translate the following text. Use the dictionary when necessary.