The Federal Customs Service of Russia
The Federal Customs Service (FCS) of Russia is a Federal executive authority, performing in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation the functions of control and supervision in the field of customs. It also has the functions of a currency control agent and special functions of contraband control, abatement of other crimes and administrative violations.
The Federal Customs Service is under the jurisdiction the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of the Russian Federation.
The FCS in its activity is guided by the Constitution of the Russian Federation, federal laws, decrees and regulations of the President of the Russian Federation, international agreements of the Russian Federation, regulatory legal acts of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation and the Central Bank of the Russian Federation.
The FCS operates directly, through customs houses and representative offices of the Service abroad, in cooperation with other federal executive authorities, executive authorities of the subjects of the Russian Federation, municipal authorities, the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, public associations and other organization.
The Federal Customs Service is headed by the senior executive officer to be appointed and dismissed from office by the Government of the Russian Federation on proposal of the Minister of Economic Development and Trade of the Russian Federation. The Head of the FCS is personally responsible for implementation of authority imposed on the Service. The Head of the FCS has deputies, commissioned and dismissed from office by the Minister of Economic Development and Trade of the Russian Federation on proposal of the Head of the Service.
The FCS has much authority conferred to by the office in the established area of focus. First of all it performs levying of customs fees, taxes, antidumping, special and compensatory countervailing duties, customs dues, control accuracy for calculation and timely payment of such fees, taxes and duties, take measures for their recovery by enforcement. It also has to provide for compliance with the established prohibitions and limitations with respect to goods transferred across the customs border of the Russian Federation in accordance with the legislations of the Russian Federation on state regulation of foreign trade activity and international agreements of the Russian Federation. FCS performs customs processing and customs control, makes decisions on classification of goods in accordance with the Nomenclature of Goods subject to Foreign Trade and provides for publication of such decisions. The agency provides within its competence for the protection of intellectual property and makes in accordance with established procedure preliminary decisions on classification of commodity in accordance with the Nomenclature of Goods subject to Foreign Trade, on the origin of goods from a specific country (country of goods’ origin).
The costs for maintenance of the Federal Customs Service are financed out of the funds envisaged by the federal budget, as well as from other sources specified by the legislation of the Russian Federation.
The Federal Customs Service is a legal entity, it has a seal with the image of the State Coat of Arms of the Russian Federation and its name, other seals, stamps and forms of established pattern, as well as accounts opened in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation.
The Federal Customs Service has its blazonry: emblem, flag and pennant, approved in accordance with established procedure.
The Federal Customs Service is based in Moscow.
Exercise 9.Choose the right answer.
1. What does the FCS stand for?
a) the Family and Community Service; b) the Farmer Cooperative Service;
c) the Foreign Commercial Service; d) the Federal Customs Service.
2. Under what jurisdiction does the FCS work?
a) the Ministry of Home Affairs; b) the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
c) the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade; d) the Ministry of Education.
3. What is the FCS not guided by?
a) the Constitution of the Russian Federation;
b) decrees and regulations of the President;
c) international agreements of the Russian Federation;
d) High Court decisions.
4. What agencies does the FCS not cooperate with?
a) federal executive authorities; b) political parties;
c) the Central Bank; d) executive authorities.
5. What is the title of the FCS chief?
a) director; b) president; c) head; d) minister.
6. What functions does the FCS not perform?
a) control of money turnover;
b) levying of customs fees, taxes;
c) levying of special and compensatory countervailing duties;
d) timely payment of fees, taxes and duties.
7. Who finances the FCS?
a) sponsors; b) Presidential funds; c) charity; d) the federal budget.
8. What image does the FCS seal have?
a) the banner of the Russian Federation;
b) the State Coat of Arms of the Russian Federation;
c) the Kremlin;
d) customs officer shoulder marks.
9. What is not included in the blazonry?
a) emblem; b) hymn; c) flag; d) pennant.
10. Where is the FCS based?
a) in St. Petersburg; b) in Vladivostok; c) in Moscow; d) in Ulyanovsk.
Exercise 10.Translate the following terms into Russian. Give your own definition to them (in English) and learn these terms by heart.
1. Supervision; 2. an abatement; 3. a regulation; 4. a representative; 5. to appoint; 6. to dismiss; 7. an implementation; 8.prohibition; 9. customs fees; 10. blazonry.
Exercise 11. Write an outline of the text.
COMPREHENSION
Exercise 12.Fill in the table. Add two more categories for comparison.
| UKBA | FCS | |
| Duties | ||
| Headquarters | ||
| Chief |
Exercise 13. Fill in the gaps using the words given below, and translate the sentences into Russian.
asylum border assessment supervision abatement
dismissed investigation detention prohibited appoint
1. The smuggler slipped across a(n) … illegally. 2. Customs officers tightened the … because of the contraband trade increase. 3. The criminal was kept in … for two hours. 4. In the middle of the 20th century a great number of refugees were looking for a political … in Britain. 5. The stewardess made a careful … of the situation. 6. The firm was offered a five-year tax … . 7. The customs officer was … for incompetence and laziness. 8. We must … our representative on the board. 9. Every person entering the country should remember that some goods may be … by the laws of the land. 10. The Federal Customs Service launched a(n) … into charges of illegal border crossing.
Exercise 14.Replace the underlined words with the synonymous terms from the texts.
1. The river forms the country’s western boundary. 2. The president published a decree forbidding all protests. 3. The customs officers tried to determine border of the property. 4. The smugglers first attempt broke down but his second attempt was a success. 5. The customs officers seized the drug dealer when he was trying to cross the border. 6. The incarceration of suspected terrorists was carried out successfully. 7. Custom professionals are investigating the accident. 8. Who is the boss of your department? 9. No one in the customs department will tell you about the origin of the information. 10. The duty of the police is to carry out law effectively.
Exercise 15.a)Match the verbs on the left with the nouns on the right.
| 1. to be divided | a) a border control; |
| 2. to be located | b) out of the funds; |
| 3. to investigate | c) national criminals; |
| 4. to develop | d) smuggling; |
| 5. to remove | e) foreign trade activity; |
| 6. to be guided | f) into broad structures; |
| 7. to regulate | g) from office; |
| 8. to be dismissed | h) a procedure; |
| 9. to be financed | i) by the Constitution; |
| 10. to establish | j) in different countries. |
b)In the sentences below replace the Russian expressions with the phrases you have got. Use these expressions in the necessary form.
1. The whole work of the governmental organs (руководствуется конституцией) of the country. 2. Every governmental structure (подразделяется на отделы) and agencies. 3. One of the main tasks of the Customs duty is (отслеживать контрабанду). 4. Many tourists wish an easier (процедура) of customs control (была установлена). 5. (Пограничный контроль осуществляется) twenty-four hours a day all over the world. 6. Russian customs agencies (расположены в различных странах). 7. The work of this Ministry (финансируется из различных органов). 8. The head of the bureau (был смещен с занимаемой должности) because of the bribe. 9. When (национальные преступники будут высланы) from the country? 10. What ministry (регулирует внешнюю торговлю) in your country?
WRITING AND COMMUNICATION
Exercise 16.Write an essay on one of the given topics and discuss it with your partner.
1. The Structure of the Customs Organization in the USA.
2. World Customs Organization: its Structure and Functions.
Exercise 17.Translate the following sentences from Russian into English.
1. Мы прошли через таможню в аэропорту без каких-либо проблем. 2. Если вы не хотите пропустить ваш рейс, вам лучше зарегистрироваться заранее. 3. Из-за террористической угрозы внутренний контроль в аэропорту был усилен. 4. Работа по изучению материалов дел включает исследование всех улик и показаний свидетелей. 5. Глава таможенной службы осуществляет надзор за работой всего агентства. 6. Почему таможенникам не удалось арестовать контрабандиста? 7. Указом президента страны мистер Смит был назначен на пост главы таможенной службы. 8. Назовите предметы, запрещенные к ввозу на территорию России. 9. Какие геральдические символы вы знаете? 10. Где расположена штаб-квартира вашей организации?
PROJECT WORK
The main Customs Organization in the world is World Customs Organization. Prepare a project on WCO. Speak about its structure, emblem, administration, membership and cooperation with other organizations. You may use the information below and the data of your own. Use the official site of WCO www.wcoomd.org if necessary.