National Customs Agency

Operational Program "Good Governance", co-funded by the European Union through the European Social Fund

Project ‘Improvement of the National Customs Agency’s fundamental information systems for providing data and services - BICIS (Phase 1)’

               
Construction period: from 01.05.2016 until 31.12.2018
Administrative Contract  № BG05SFOP001-1.002-0002-C01 for granting financial assistance under the procedure BG05SFOP001-1.002 "Priority projects under the Roadmap for implementation of the Strategy for the development of e-governance in the Republic of Bulgaria for the period 2016-2020"
Grants  budget: 14 450 852.05 BGN, of which 12 283 224.24  BGN - EU funding, and national funding – 2 167 627.81 BGN.

Bulgarian National Customs Agency began implementation of a project „Improvement of the National Customs Agency’s fundamental information systems for providing data and services to external systems - BICIS 2020 (Phase 1)“  financed by Operational Program "Good Governance", co-funded by the European Union through the European Social Fund.
Effectiveness, simplification and facilitation of trade are the most important principles of the Modernized Community Customs Code – Regulation (EC) No. 952/2013, entering into force on 01.05.2016. The new code aims to rationalize and simplify customs legislation and procedures, to create conditions for more effective customs operations respecting the modern requirements, to create a new electronic paperless customs environment and to facilitate customs procedures for the legitimate trade.
The global legislation reform and the implementation of entirely electronic data exchange between customs and trade in EU, will transform the customs and customs-related processes and also the functioning of the Customs Union as a whole. The changes of customs business processes require a change of the electronic customs systems.
Taking into account the obligations of Bulgarian National Customs Agency, arising from EC initiatives e-customs and e-excise, Republic of Bulgaria e-Government national strategy 2014-2020 and Bulgarian National Customs Agency Strategy 2014-2020 and for the implementation of e-Customs sectoral strategy 2016-2020 and Roadmap of the e-Customs sectoral strategy, the project results to be achieved are:
-Harmonization of processes and information systems, according to EU requirements, integration with central and EU components and systems;
-Implementation of electronic on-line interfaces for data exchange with external national and EU systems;
-Provision of convenient e-services to citizens and economic operators
These aims will be reached through the implementation of Phase 1 of BICIS 2020 project, including the following stages and measures from the Roadmap of the e-Customs sectoral strategy.

Project ‘Improvement of the National Customs Agency’s fundamental information systems for providing data and services - BICIS (Phase 2)’

                 
Construction period: 01.03.2019 - 31.12.2021
Administrative Contract No. BG05SFOP001-1.007-0001-C01 / 15.04.2019 for the grant of financial assistance under Procedure BG05SFOP001-1.007
Grants  budget: 13 142 635.20 BGN, of which 11 171 239,92 BGN - EU funding, and national funding – 1 971 395,28 BGN.

The National Customs Agency and the managing authority of the Operational Programme ‘Good Governance’ signed a contract for provision of grant aid under project ‘Improvement of the National Customs Agency’s fundamental information systems for providing data and services - BICIS (Phase 2)’, which upgrades the previous phase of BICIS’ development.  
 Through the project the National Customs Agency sets as a priority:
• the harmonised exchange of information on the basis of internationally accepted data models and message formats;
• restructuring of the customs- and customs-related processes in view of the improvement of their efficiency, effectiveness and uniform application and reduction in compliance costs;
• offering to the economic operators of a wide range of customs e-services, which allow them to communicate in the same way with the customs authorities of any EU Member State.
 Aim of the project is continuation of the process on transformation of the customs administration to a digital administration, by subsequent development and introduction of Institutional Architecture of the National Customs Agency and implementation of the Union’s and national functional requirements to BICIS.
 The project is intended both to the officers of the National Customs Agency and of other authorities as well as to the businesses and citizens as users of administrative services.
 In order to achieve the aims of the project proposal, the foreseen results by activity shall include:
 - elaboration of modules to BICIS;
 - establishment of registers;
 - improvement of the electronic environment for services and communication with citizens and business;
 - exchange of information with other national and international controlling authorities in the customs area, for the purposes of the development of the organisational and analytical capacity of the NCA, including performance of joint inspections.
 Some important effects will also be achieved with the achievement of the results:  
 - improved administrative services to business and citizens in the uniform European customs environment;
-stepwise fulfilment of the commitments taken for implementing of the European legislation and initiatives for establishment of paperless environment and entirely e-customs – by subsequent development and introduction of the NCA Institutional Architecture to comprising of the fundamental and auxiliary customs processes;  
- quick and easy access from all interested parties to the fundamental and auxiliary customs processes – guarantee for competitiveness of the economic operators and security at the borders;
  - the increased reliability of operation of the systems of the National Customs Agency by reducing the unavailability time contribute to creation of a better business environment and competitiveness for the economic operators as they also guarantee the ensuring of transparency of the work and decisions of the administration;
 - the increased reliability in the operation of the systems of the National Customs Agency by reducing the percentage of mistakes at the exchange of messages between the customs systems of the Republic of Bulgaria and the EU Member States, as well as between the National Customs Agency and the economic operators, will contribute to users satisfaction from using of qualitative administrative e-services. The project includes four activities.
 Phase 2 complies with the aims and priorities of the Operational Programme ‘Good Governance’ and more specifically with priority axis No. 1 ‘Administrative services delivery and e-governance’, and more specifically with Specific aim No.2  ‘Increase in the services, accessible for the citizens and business, provided electronically’. The project is in compliance also with the national and European requirements, decisions and regulations in the customs area, which the Republic of Bulgaria is committed to implement.

Improvement of the National Customs Agency’s main information systems for providing data and services - BICIS (Phase 3)

 Implementation period: 01.09.2021  - 31.12.2023 

Administrative Contract No. № BG05SFOP001-1.025-0001-С01 / 29.11.2021 for the grant of financial assistance under Procedure BG05SFOP001-1.025 in compliance with the aims and priorities of ‘Good governance’ Operational programme and in particular with Priority axis No. ‘Administrative Services and e-governance’, and more specifically Specific Objective 1’Reduction of the administrative and regulatory burden for citizens and businesses, and introduction of the principles of ‘Life episodes’ and ‘Business events’ and Specific Aim No. 2 ‘Increase of the services, accessible to citizens and business, provided electronically’. 

 Project priorities: 
•Harmonisation of the processes and the national information systems, in compliance with the EU requirements;
• Implementation of electronic online interfaces for data exchange between national and European information systems; 
•Improvement of the electronic work environment and the communication with the citizens and businesses.  
Project objectives 
The overall project objective  is to streamline and to simplify the legislation and procedures in respect to customs and to create conditions for more effective customs operations, responding to modern needs, as well as to implement the transition of the customs authorities to work entirely in electronic environment, in which documents on a paper carrier are not used, and to accelerate the customs procedures for the compliant economic operators.  
The overall objective of the project will be achieved through implementation of the following specific objectives: 
- Continuation of the process of transformation of the customs administration into digital administration, through development and implementation of the Institutional Architecture of the NCA till comprising of customs processes of priority to BICIS Phase 3;
- Implementation of Union functional requirements in respect to the customs activity, resulting from the Union Customs Code (Regulation (EU) no 952/2013, applicable as of 01.05.2016);  Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/2151 of 13 December 2019 establishing the work programme relating to the development and deployment of the electronic systems provided for in the Union Customs Code; Multi-annual Strategic Plan ‘E-customs’ (MASP) of the European Commission; 
- Implementation of national functional requirements to BICIS (Phase 3) 

Target groups
The selection of the target groups is imposed in respect to the need of development and implementation of the Institutional Architecture of the National Customs Agency till comprising of the main and auxiliary customs processes. That’s why the target groups of the current project are:  
•  The staff in the administration of the National Customs Agency; 
•The staff in the state administration; 
• Users of administrative services of the National Customs Agency  - business and citizens. 
The present project, its objectives, activities and expected results are intended entirely to meeting of the identified needs of the target groups. 

 Results
 For achieving the objectives of the Project the envisaged results include: 
- development and upgrade of modules to BICIS; 
- upgrade of registers; 
-improvement of the electronic work environment and the communication with the citizens and business; 
– Improvement of the electronic environment for information exchange with other national and international control authorities in the customs area, for the purposes of development of organizational and analytical capacity of the National Customs Agency, including on the performing of joint checks. 

Project effects  
The following effect will be achieved by achieving of the expected results set in the project: 
- Improved administrative services to business and citizens as participants in the single customs environment; 
- Staged implementation of the commitments taken for application of the European legislation and initiatives for creation of paperless environment and completely e-customs – by following development and implementation of the NCA Institutional Architecture till comprising of the main and auxiliary customs processes;  
- Quick and facilitated access to all stakeholders to the main and auxiliary customs processes – guarantee for competitiveness of the economic operators and border security. 
 – Increased reliability of the operation of the systems of the National Customs Agency by reducing the unavailability time contribute to creation of better business environment and competitiveness for the economic operators, as well as they ensure the provision of transparency of the work and decisions of the administration. 
-The increased reliability with the operation of the systems of the National Customs Agency by reducing the error rate in the exchange of messages between the customs systems of the Republic of Bulgaria and the EU Member States, as well as between the National Customs Agency and the economic operators will contribute to customer satisfaction from the use of quality electronic administrative services.  
 
Relevance
The project is in conformity also with the national and European requirements, decisions and regulations in the customs area, which Bulgaria is committed to fulfill; 
- Decision No 70/2008/EC of the EP and of the Council regarding paperless environment in customs and trade 
- Regulation (EU) No. 952/2013 of the EP and of the Council laying down the Union Customs Code, which introduces the principle that all customs and trade operations are processed electronically and that in every Member State, the information and communication systems for the customs operations offer same facilitations to economic operators 
- Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/2151  establishing the work programme relating to the development and deployment of the electronic systems provided for in the Union Customs Code;
-Multi-annual Strategic Plan ‘E-customs (MASP) of the EC, introducing as a key element the approach for business process modelling ’ (Business Process Modelling BPM), modelling of the Institutional Architecture (Enterprise Architecture) and implementation of cloud architecture
- Updated strategy for development of the e-governance in Bulgaria 2019-2025 and the Roadmap to it. 
-The Sectoral strategy ‘E-customs 2016-2025 and the Roadmap to it. 

 The project includes the following 7 activities: 

-    Activity 1 – ‘Development and implementation of Institutional Architecture of the NCA in respect to project under UCC: Import Control System (ICS) release 2, including UCC project: 2.1 UCC Notifications of arrival on cloud architecture’ and ‘Development and implementation of Institutional Architecture of the NCA in respect to ‘Risk Analysis’ module (RAM) – reflection of the changes, resulting from the Import Control system (ICS2) release 2 on Cloud Architecture’;
-    Activity 2 - ‘Development and implementation of NCA Institutional Architecture in respect to UCC project: 1.6 UCC Automated Export System (AES) - Components 1 and 2 (1.6 UCC Automated Export System (AES), including the UCC Project - 2.6 UCC Special export procedures;
-    Activity 3 - „Development and implementation of NCA Institutional Architecture in respect to UCC project: Improvement of the New Computerized Transit System  (NCTS) Stage 5 on Cloud Architecture“

-     Activity 4 - Development and Implementation of the Institutional Architecture of National Customs Agency (NCA) in relation to EMCS Phase 4 and SEED on CA;
-     Activity 5 - Development and Implementation of the Institutional Architecture of NCA in relation to UCC Centralized Clearance for Import (CCI) phase 1 on CA;
-     Activity 6 - Development and Implementation of the Institutional Architecture of NCA in relation to National import systems upgrade–adjustment to revised Annex B on CA, Improvement on related systems: module Customs dept and guarantee management and module Surveillance on CA;
-     Activity 7 - Development and Implementation of the Institutional Architecture of NCA in relation to Data Warehouse/Cognos and module Risk anal Module "Risk Analysis" on CA, Improvement on MISЗA, ITMS - module Taric calculator and TQS – reflection of the changes from the National import systems adjustment to revised Annex B.

 
The project ‘Improvement of the National Customs Agency’s main information systems for providing data and services - BICIS (Phase 3)’ is implemented with the financial assistance of ‘Good Governance’ Operational Programme, co-funded by the European Union through the European Social Fund.  

Project value: 17 784 495,00 BGN, including EU funding – 15 116 820,75 BGN and national funding – 2 667 674,25 BGN.

Project term: 28 months

Customs Eastern and South-Eastern Land Border Expert Team (CELBET) is an initiative of 11 EU Member States: Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria and Greece. CELBET works under the Customs 2020 programme.

The main objective of the expert team is to strengthen and improve the operational co-operation using a new way of working based on real operational co-ordination, deeper sharing of information and pooling of human  resources and thus contributing to the implementation of common customs legislation and policy.

The Expert Team uses work done by various project groups and elaborates these outcomes further to achieve synergy between different activities at the regional level. The expert team, working under the supervision of DG TAXUD, provides expertise and makes proposals based on practical experience of operational co-ordination and results achieved for further improvement of the operational management of  EU Eastern and South-Eastern land border.

More specifically, the expert team provides solutions for better targeting of risks, uniform performace measurement standards, flexible use and sharing of resources, training of customs officers, interaction and coordination with relevant border services (including those of third, neighbouring countries) and last, but not least, addressing funding challenges related with control infrastructure and equipment.

What do these achievements bring to you?

CELBET helps to improve the control of external border and preventing the entry of dangerous goods that could be harmful to people or to our environment or to the EU’s, the Member States’ and citizens’ financial interest.  The improved controls also contribute to smoother and faster border crossing.
 The expert team is working in six areas:
•risk management
•operational controls
•equipment and procurement
•training,
•evaluation/performance measurement,
•co-operation with border guards and neighbouring countries.

In 2020 the third phase of the project began.

The ENTRANCE project on EfficieNT Risk-bAsed iNspection of freight Crossing bordErs without disrupting business

The ENTRANCE project on EfficieNT Risk-bAsed iNspection of freight Crossing bordErs without disrupting       business was officially launched on 13 October 2020. It involves 16 partners, including National Customs Agency of the Republic of Bulgaria, Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD) – Bulgaria, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), Smiths Heimann SAS (SMITHSD) – France, Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Finance – Croatia, Joint Research Centre – European Commission (JRC) and Service public Federal Finances (FOD) – Belgium and others. Concerned with developing, implementing and testing through field-trials a comprehensive user-based Toolbox for risk-based non-intrusive inspection of cross-border freight movements, the ENTRANCE project seeks to deliver five key outputs:

- Automated Risk Assessment, Threat Recognition and Information Sharing Platform (ENARTIS)

- Suite of Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) technologies for detecting contraband hidden in high-density cargo

- Enhanced relocatable unit for non-intrusive detection of wide number of threats including explosives, illicit drugs, chemical warfare agents, nuclear and radioactive materials and special nuclear materials such as enriched uranium and plutonium

- Trans-European network of Radiation Portal Monitors (RPM) for passive detection of illicit nuclear and radioactive material combining detection facilities of different types and technologies

- Novel high-speed RPM detection technology for passive detection of nuclear and radioactive with minimal disturbance of flow

The period of the project is 3 years and it is coordinated by the CEA (France) and is also being supported by external experts who will advise the consortium and provide independent peer review. It has received funding from the EU Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement N° 883424.