The implementation of digital document circulation by 2020, as part of the Union Customs Code which entered into force on May 1st this year, is intended to be another technology streamlining the operations of Customs Services. A number of technological solutions are already effectively supporting the work of both Customs Services and Border Guard Services.
On May 1st this year, the Union Customs Code (UCC) entered into force, replacing the Community Customs Code. Through the introduction of, among other things, digital document circulation by 2020, it is intended to unify, accelerate, and simplify customs procedures. As indicated in the UCC, the implementation of information and communication technologies should be of significant importance for, among other things, ensuring the effectiveness of customs controls.
– Electronic document circulation should facilitate the exchange of information, and consequently accelerate the implementation of Customs Service activities. This system is another step in the process of digitization and computerization of Polish border crossings, which began with Poland’s accession to the European Union – says Andrzej Oliński, Director of the Key Clients Division at the technology company T4B.
External EU border
Since Poland joined the EU in 2004, the external border of the Community has run, among other places, along Poland’s eastern borders. According to Border Guard data, last year alone, this section was crossed 46 million times in terms of passenger border traffic. With Poland’s entry into the EU and the Schengen Area, border crossings with Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia were expanded and modernized, equipped with technological solutions that streamline the work of services and increase the security of our borders.
Vehicle traffic control
Work at border crossings is primarily facilitated by vehicle traffic control systems for passenger cars and trucks. Using traffic lights, they allow for the automatic guidance of vehicles to appropriate clearance areas, directing vehicles to entry points for inspection stations.
– Vehicle traffic control systems for passenger cars and trucks at border crossings, where vehicle traffic is very high, allow for the efficient work of services, offering a range of improvements. Vehicle traffic control is carried out in an automated manner, but under human supervision. This solution, together with license plate recognition and container code recognition, is an element of the Vehicle Traffic Control system, also used in production plants or logistics – explains Andrzej Oliński.
License plate recognition
Border crossings in eastern Poland are equipped with license plate recognition systems and container code recognition systems. Their operation consists of automatically reading registration numbers, taking photos of vehicles, and sending them to a database. In the case of containers, photos are taken while in motion and then analyzed to recognize the container code number. The aforementioned system streamlines the monitoring of border traffic, enabling the management and exchange of data between border crossings and the headquarters at the Ministry of Finance. It operates in, among other places, Dorohusk, Hrebenne, Kroczowa, Medyka, Koroszyn, and Grzechotki.
Mobile terminals
Customs Service officers work not only at border crossings but also in the field. To perform their work efficiently, they require access to the databases used by stationary staff at customs clearance points. Mobile groups have a communication system, i.e., terminals installed in vehicles, which allow for remote access to Customs Service databases. This shortens inspection time and improves its effectiveness. Many other technological solutions also operate at border crossings: from monitoring and access control systems to technologies used for detecting objects that are subject to smuggling. All of them help the Customs Service clear and inspect tens of thousands of people crossing the border every day.