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Главная / English version
E-reporting
"Smart Logistic Group" CJSC offers e-declaration services.
At our TSW, you can declare your exports and imports through the Internet using a secured Internet broadband channel. Customs Freight Declarations are submitted through the servers of "Alta-Soft Company", the leader in the customs-related e-services.
The channel is well configured ensuring error-free operation. By using the e-declaration service at SLG's TSW, you save both your time and money.
If you have any questions on e-declaration, please contact Igor Nickolaevich Kulichkov, the deputy Director General for customs logistics. Tel.: +7 (495) 276-34-07, E-mail: kik@slg.ru.
Paperfree electronic declaration via the Internet.
New era of cargo e-declaration.
1. How do the SLG's activities dovetail with the implementation of the Concept of customs clearance and control in the areas adjacent to the state border? Did the company experience any difficulties related to the re-organization of the customs offices both in Moscow and its region?
Answer: "Smart Logistic Group" CJSC, short name in English is www.SLG.ru, understands the need for a transfer of the customs clearance procedures for certain product categories to the areas adjacent to the state border of the Russian Federation before 2009, and from January 1, 2010, to the borders of the Customs Union. The concept for the transfer of the customs clearance procedures was previously developed by the FCS of Russia and is posted on its web-site. It was adopted by the Panel of the FCS as early as Friday, August 29, 2008. The Concept developed by the FCS for the transfer of the customs clearance process, scheduled to be completed by 2020, provides for the main flow of goods imported into Russia to be processed at the areas adjacent to the state border. As of today, we have 10 more years for the implementation of this highly ambitious plan. The experts from the Customs Union believe that it will take at least 12 years and about 1.0 bn rubles for the FCS to implement this project. However, given that 2 years has already been lost to the global financial crisis, we'd better hurry.
"Smart Logistic Group" CJSC is fully prepared to begin implementing another Concept for optimization of the customs structures in Moscow and its region that are subordinated to the Central Customs Administration for 2010-2011. For this purpose, we have opened a modern TSW on the territory of the largest in Europe Severnoe Domodedovo ILC and fitted it with the most advanced and efficient equipment, such as high stack storage systems, a general-purpose WMS-system with bar-codes, an automated X-ray system for cargo scanning and the latest know how in e-declaration technologies, ED-2 of "Alta-Pro". The system of e-declaration allows for customs clearance to be carried out directly in the areas adjacent to the border of the Customs Union. The posts of veterinary and phytosanitary control of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance located on territory of "Smart Logistic Group" 's TSW along with a licensed storage for pharmaceutical products, an independent pharmaceutical laboratory accredited by Rosstandard and a branch office of "PB-Bank" with its "Green Corridor" system for fast customs payments all make us into an excellent business partner, especially of those foreign trade businesses which left Moscow after the CCA reform of the Moscow Customs and are now working in different parts of Moscow region.
2. How long has e-declaration been used and how successful is it? How many e-CFDs were made in 2009?
Answer: The first attempts to make e-declaration (ED) a reality were made a while ago, back in November 2002. It was in early 2002 that the Law on electronic digital signature (EDS) was passed, with the first EDs executed at Kashirskiy customs post of MSC (Moscow Southern Customs) of the Central Customs Administration (CCA) in Moscow at the end of the same year. Anatoliy Fedorovich Sinyukov, our colleague and a highly professional man who founded "Nord-Ost Company" was in charge of that ED project. Incidentally, his technologies are still being used for remote commodity release at Russia's borders.
In July 2004, two years later, an automated e-declaration system was launched at Chertanovskiy customs station in Moscow. Within a few years, the use of the system of e-declaration, often described as an informing system by experts, was extended to include most Russian regions. A true breakthrough for e-declaration may come after the release of "Alta-Pro" and "Crypto-Pro" e-declaration software by "Alta-Soft Company". This so-called ED-2 version is designed to be used to connect via open Internet channels through authorized operators to the Main Scientific and IT Center of the FCS of Russia and the Customs. Currently, just like our partners Alta-Soft, Smart Logistic Group's TSW is certified to submit ED-2 to the customs authorities using EDS and "Green Corridor" system payments.
The first declarations began to arrive via the main ED-2 developer, "Alta-Soft Company", in July 2009. There were very few of them in August, but the numbers starting to double every 2-3 weeks starting in September.
This growth is the result of several factors including: an increase in the number of connected to the system companies and customs posts, growing popularity of the system among declarers and, of course, the efforts of "Smart Logistic Group" CJSC and its partner "Alta-Soft Company" that organized open workshops and conferences dedicated to the integration of the ED-2 technology.
Currently, "Alta-Soft" alone has signed contracts with more than 500 companies, issuing more than 10,000 EDSs to declarers in Russia.
"Smart Logistic Group" 's TSW executed its first ED-2 shortly before the New Year, i.e., December 8, 2009. At present, we are actively working with our foreign trade customers on adoption of e-declaration for the majority of import and export shipments. We also actively market ED-2 products from our partner "Alta-Soft" for work with our TSW and qualified declarers both through remote application and, on the territory of "SLG" 's TSW, through our own certified access channels to the Main Scientific and IT Center of the FCS of Russia and remote customs stations at "Severnoe Domodedovo" ILC. In the immediate future, "Smart Logistic Group" CJSC will begin remote release of commodities at the border checkpoints in Smolensk, Bryansk, Vyborg and other stations equipped for the ED-2 technology.
3. What do you think the main advantages of the ED-2 system are? How much has been invested into the new software and setting up of work places? Do you have any expectations of high returns?
Answer: ED-2 is, in simple terms, the next development stage of e-declaration in Russia. It is a more advanced and more secure program compared to ED-1. Its implementation will speed up the customs clearance process at the border, as pointed out one customs official at our Conference. Implementation of ED-2 will do away with the need for customs clearance experts to relocate closer to the country's boarders making it possible for them to remain where they currently are. Instead, they will be represented at the boarders by proxies. Speaking of the cost of software and equipment for workplaces, they are insignificant. Judge for yourself: the cost of software upgrade (the price difference between the new and old versions is 1000-2000 rubles per workplace; replacement is free for all new connections), the cost of "Crypto-Pro software" (1800 rubles per workplace), while a package of ED-services (so far only the minimum one is available, 3000-5000 rubles for all). These are all the costs, in other words, 2000-3000 rubles per each workplace connection. The ED-2 technology holds a great potential for small-sized businesses and companies that are only beginning to get involved in foreign trade.
It would like to emphasize here that the cost of investment in the ED-2 technology is fair, if a broker or a person involved in foreign trade works through a certified operator. However, if a broker or TSW owner plans to become an operator himself, which might be absolutely necessary in some cases, this will set him back around 500,000 rubles to cover the cost of software and equipment, plus the cost of monthly maintenance and a staff of IT-managers. This kind of investment makes sense for customs clearance centers attached to customs posts and TSW's of major logistics parks, such as "Severnoe Domodedovo" ILC, Pyshma, Biek Taw, Tolmatchevo of "Eurasia logistic": www.ealog.ru. But, that's another story.
4. What do you do to reduce the shipment costs when managing the supply chains of your company?
Answer: Specifically for the crisis period, there are a number of ways that help to keep these costs low:
- all deliveries are tender-based. You can always find a transport operator or a private truck owner willing to deliver at a minimum price.
- favorable insurance terms from freight insurers. This contributes significantly to the overall transportation savings, especially when it comes to high-value consignments.
- additional cargo deliveries are also quite interesting. If your consignment is small and you manage to find a freight carrier willing to take your consignment as an additional cargo, there is always a chance to get a lower quote.
- fuel-efficient trucks for long-distance routes. Thus, a foreign-made truck uses on average 15 liters less fuel per every 100 km than a Russian-made one. If we multiply this saving by 10, we will see that for an average distance of 1,000 km you can expect to save 150 liters.
5. What is the outlook for the future given the new realities brought about by the establishment of the Customs Union?
Answer: If everything goes the way the Government and organizers of the Customs Union (CU) say it will, the outlook seems to be quite promising. The cost savings generated by the creation of the CU are, according to experts, expected to be in the region of $400 bn. dollars. And this is not all. It will boost the domestic trade, unify the customs and foreign economic standards and help the exchange of qualified human resources and technologies among the countries members of the CU. The lifting of internal customs barriers and less pronounced difference in labor costs will have a positive knock-on effect on competition and, therefore, consumer prices. All this will boost the WTO membership chances of the CU as a whole and its member states individually. I'm optimistic about the CU. As for businesses engaged in foreign trade, it's like a treasure trove for them.
6. Which cities or major transportation hubs are expected to become home to your future logistics complexes?
Answer: Before the crisis, we and "Eurasia Logistic" were discussing the issue of opening the company's representative offices at the ILCs owned by the country's largest warehouse developer. Back in August 2008, we spoke about Saint-Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk and Kazan'. However, the feeling of crisis approaching the Russian borders prevented us from signing the already prepared contracts. By September-October, we already new that any regional expansion was even dangerous. Time has shown that our apprehensions were not groundless; several logistics companies that had made a decision to expand into regions despite the crisis went bankrupt, others lost much money and shrank in size.
We, on the other hand, postponed our regional development plans until better times. Most probably, it will be the period between mid-2011 and 2012. Initially, we will go into the regions where "Eurasia Logistic" already has its warehouse complexes and will be talking to warehouse developers, such as MLP or Raven Group, in the regions where "Eurasia Logistics" is not represented.
We are also planning to launch a new logistics project, which is to be formalized by the second half of the current year. If in this project, which is being implemented in the still sluggish market conditions, we manage to balance all the risks, including those related the customer base and investment, then the regional expansion of "Smart Logistic Group" CJSC may begin already this year, 2010.
Vladimir Elin,
Chairman of the Board of Directors of "Smart Logistic Group" CJSC, candidate of technical science.
The biggest difference between "Smart Logistic Group - Holding" and other companies of the same sector that are offering the outsourcing of transport, warehouse, customs and logistics services is not so much its size, as the structure of its activities and the priorities of its strategic development policy. The improvement of integrated services for freight shipment, warehouse logistics and customs clearance carried out by "SLG" is closely linked to the implementation of the "Virtual Customs Office" project that was first developed 12 years ago, and which has been very successful for domestic and international businesses involved in foreign economic activities.
Logistics centers of "Smart Logistic Group" are A-class warehouses equipped with the latest technology (automated general-purpose WMS systems with bar-codes, X-ray systems for cargo scanning, ED-2 technologies of "Alta-Pro" for e-declaration of goods), high stack storage systems and multi-level security. "SLG" 's electronic data base contains, in addition to 15000 regulatory acts of the Russian Government, FCS , the Central Customs Administration and the newly created Customs Union that regulate the process of customs declaration, also a great volume of reference and analytical data necessary for cargo owners, freight carrier and (or) customs brokers.
All the aforementioned factors along with a close cooperation with the veterinary/phytosanitary supervision authorities of Rosselkhoznadzor (Federal Veterinary And Phytosanitary Monitoring Service) (Rosselkhoznadzor's posts are stationed at "Smart Logistic Group" 's own temporary storage warehouse), an accredited pharmaceutical laboratory and "PB-Bank" 's system for fast customs payments "Green Corridor" have all contributed to make e-declaration a truly effective service that benefit not only those involved in foreign economic activities and their representatives using cargo declaration, but also the customs authorities that are now able to control greater volumes of cargo traffic and wider territories. Electronic declaration of freight coupled with electronic customs control allow for a much faster customs clearance, which is particularly important for import/export of perishable goods/products.
The next ten years following the creation of the CU is set to make the work of "Smart Logistics Group" particularly important, given the challenge of transferring the customs clearance process to the areas adjacent to the borders of the newly-formed inter-state union. Even more so, as the current members of the Customs Union, Russia, Kazakhstan and Byelorussia, are likely to be joined in the near future by Ukraine and other CIS member states that currently have observer status. For this reason, "Smart Logistic Group", among its priorities, views the task of spreading the popularity of electronic customs clearance as an ideal way of engaging in foreign trade activities in the context of a large-scale inter-state alliance.
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