Effective risk management systems in customs are a powerful tool that allow authorities to focus on the most risky areas of border control, to differentiate those involved in trade and, consequently, to keep a proper balance between the facilitation of legitimate trade and prevention of illegal activities in the international trade chain. Thus it is important to ensure that such a system is in place and is implemented properly by customs/border guard officers. To this end, a BOMCA expert team met with key national partners from phytosanitary, veterinary, quarantine and sanitary-epidemiological agencies in Tashkent on September 5–7 to jointly assess the existing national practices and procedures for risk analysis and control of imported animals, plants and food. This BOMCA activity aimed to provide technical assistance in the development and improvement of the risk management systems in the Central Asian countries.

By reviewing and consolidating various existing national and international regulations, the experts discussed the possible advancement of a legislative framework that promotes a more harmonised approach to import control and create a more transparent, up-to-date and effective system of import controls, allowing more coherence in and integration of the different control mechanisms in place. The different approaches to the controls of food, feed, animals and plants were also assessed. European experts introduced the EU models and existing practices and tools available which can be implemented to support such legislation to ensure that all imported products are subject to conditions and controls directly proportionate to the risk they pose.

Such missions are planned to be conducted in each of five Central Asian countries. Based on each mission’s findings, a set of recommendations will be prepared for each country on the improvement of their customs risk management system, the development of a risk analysis system for imported animals, food and plants as well as working procedures for risk assessment in accordance with international standards.