Among the complaints regarding customs issues, the Business Ombudsman Council also receives complaints from entrepreneurs about delays in customs clearance. In 2024, out of 70 complaints about the customs service, 12 were related to delays or refusals in customs clearance.
By law, the customs clearance time is 4 hours. However, there are frequent cases where the ARAMS (Automated Risk Analysis and Management System) – a system for identifying risks during customs clearance – is triggered, leading to an increase in customs clearance time. In such cases, customs notifies the business of the need for additional customs formalities.
The Council helps businesses address customs formalities by fostering a dialogue between customs authorities and declarants to resolve problematic issues that caused the suspension of customs clearance.
For example, recently, an importer of children’s toys from a well-known American brand contacted the Council with a complaint about a delay in customs clearance of a shipment of toys. The Council found that the shipment was delayed due to the activation of the ARAMS . The customs authorities decided to inspect the goods for potential intellectual property rights violations.
The Council investigated the intellectual property rights concerning the children’s toys and established that the trademark was registered to an American company, while the licensing agreement allowing import to Ukraine had been made with a European company.
The Council checked the connection between these companies and confirmed that there was no violation of intellectual property rights. As a result of communication with the customs authorities, the shipment was allowed to enter Ukraine.
