On March 5, 2012 Andriy Kostin, Partner and Head of South Ukrainian Branch of Arzinger Law Office, took part in a regular meeting of the Public Council under Southern Customs (Odessa). The meeting was chaired by O.I. Platonov, Chairman of the Public Council. The deputy head of Southern Customs was also present at the meeting.

In the course of the meeting the most problematic issues of interaction between foreign trade participants and customs authorities of the Odessa region were considered. The main problems are still customs clearance terms as well as the often unsubstantiated claims of customs authorities regarding the customs value of goods that are declared as imports. It is often the case that the customs authorities demand to increase the contract value of goods several times despite the fact that the same goods under the same contracts were repeatedly cleared at previously announced prices.

As a result the meeting decided to prepare and submit appropriate recommendations for the meeting of the Public Council under the State Customs Service of Ukraine to be held on March 20, 2012 in Kyiv.