At the invitation of Mr. Vladimir Bulavin, Head of the Federal Customs Service of the Russian Federation, WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya attended the XVIII International Exhibition "The Customs Service - 2017" in Moscow, on 24 and 25 October 2017.
The Exhibition was opened by the Russian Minister of Finance, Mr. Anton Siluanov. He congratulated Customs services on their many excellent achievements to date, emphasizing the important role played by Customs in the regulation of trade, protection of society and revenue collection.
Secretary General Mikuriya congratulated Russian Federation Customs on the celebration of its National Customs Day and on the quality of the Exhibition. He welcomed the signing of partnership agreements with trade representative bodies and stressed the need for well-resourced Customs, irrespective of the structures in which Customs services operate.
The Exhibition was preceded by a plenary session on Customs for business and government bodies, bringing together business and Customs representatives to explore how both parties can work together to enhance the free flow of goods, and operate in an environment of mutual trust.
While in Moscow, Secretary General Mikuriya had a bilateral meeting with Mr. Bulavin, Head of the Federal Customs Service, to discuss matters of mutual interest. Mr. Bulavin reiterated his continued strong support for the WCO.