RESOLUTION

RESOLUTION RESOLUTION ON THE HARMONIZATION OF BORDER PROCEDURES AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A JOINT INFORMATION SYSTEM IN THE BALTIC STATES The common economic, political and security interests (both domestic and external) of the Baltic States are based on integration into the European Union, the economic and political system of the Nordic Countries and stable economic and political relations with the CIS countries. Successful implementation of these interests depends on the effectiveness of the joint state border control system. In its May 15, 1994 Resolution, the Baltic Assembly proposed the Baltic Council of Ministers to take measures for the fundamental improvement of border crossing procedures, and in its November 13, 1994 Resolution recommended that the Baltic Council of Ministers adopt regulations in order to simplify and quicken the procedure for crossing the borders and to ensure increased transit capacity at the border crossing points. In order to ensure the implementation of these measures, it is necessary to develop a harmonized joint state border control system in the Baltic States, which should be technically implemented by a computer network. For security considerations, this network should be based on a state-controlled data transmission system. Its practical implementation should begin on state borders, gradually including borderguard headquarters, immigration (police), customs, the environmental protection agencies, health care authorities, transport and carrier registration agencies and their data bases. The Baltic Assembly recommends the Baltic Council of Ministers to: 1) work out the concept of a joint state border control system based on the regulations for the establishment of the Baltic Customs Union; 2) harmonize cargo transit regulations, as well as regulations concerning the use of roads and the over-all dimensions and weight compatibility of cargo to the standards of the European Union; 3) establish procedures for the mutual recognition of customs seals and documents to enable automatic document processing; 4) develop a uniform methodology to eliminate fraud, including risk analysis in documents related to border crossing by using modern data processing in the computer network; 5) introduce the electronic declaration of import cargoes, including declaration of cargoes prior to sending; 6) in order to implement the above measures, set up a working group for the development of the above concepts and projects and for the supervision of their technical implementation. Deputy Chairman of Chairman Deputy Chairman of the Presidium of of the Presidium the Presidium of the Baltic Assembly of the Baltic the Baltic Assembly Assembly Arnold Riuitel Maris Budovskis Egidijus Bičkauskas Republic of Estonia Republic of Republic of Latvia Lithuania Ryga, April 22, 1995