04/10/2017
Financed by the European Union, the project will last for 18 months, with the aim of improving customs vigilance, chiefly in the maritime sector
The Director of the Customs and Excise Department, Pilar Jurado, at the launch of the project
In Ankara, at the Ministry of Customs and Trade of Turkey the launch has taken place of the European Union’s twinning Project “Improving maritime vigilance in Turkish customs posts“, aiming to contribute to the policy of heightened customs vigilance, especially in the maritime sphere.
It seeks to increase the oversight role of the Turkish customs authority concerning the import of prohibited or hazardous merchandise into the customs zone of Turkey, while increasing the hours in which its maritime personnel is on patrol and providing additional training for teams inspecting ships, as well as improving the safety and health of those working in this area.
This project is financed by the European Union in the amount of 5,500,000 euros, 2 million of which are allocated to the training programme and the remainder to the purchase of equipment. It will take place over an 18-month period, the main beneficiary being the Directorate-General of Customs of the Ministry of Customs and Trade.
Spain is leading the project through the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IEF) supported by the Tax Administration State Agency via the Customs and Excise Department, working in partnership with France, through the Directorate-General of Customs and Excise of the Ministry of Finance.
At the inauguration, statements were made by the Director-General of the IEF, José Alberto Plaza Tejera, and the Director of the Customs and Excise Department, Pilar Jurado, who pointed out that maritime routes are very important for Spain and Turkey, because the bulk of trade passes along them, and there is an obvious parallel between the risks and threats faced by both countries.
She added that in the course of the project Spain and Turkey will strive together to improve protection against these threats to the health and safety of citizens, which in turn will help to protect their welfare by improving a sector in which the European Union is developing policies to bring the twinned countries up to European standards.
The representative of the Embassy of Spain in Turkey, Eduardo Ibáñez, emphasised the commitment of the Embassy to supporting collaboration between the Turkish and Spanish administrations, as a link with the European Union.
