ABU DHABI: UAE must enact federal customs legislation as the present rules are not enough to fight smuggling and punish smugglers, members of the Federal National Council told Obaid Humaid Al Tayer, Minister of State for Financial Affairs.
At present, the UAE applies the Common Customs Law of the GCC States which is applicable in all GCC member countries, in which any commodities crossing the customs line, at importation or exportation, are subject to the provisions of this law.
The members warned the law is approved by a federal decree, which can easily be challenged in courts and smugglers can get away with their crimes.
Ahmad Al Zaabi, a member from Sharjah, said a decree is not enough to bring smugglers to justice.
“There must be no crime without a law, nor must there be a penalty without a law,” he said.
Al Zaabi was speaking as the House was discussing a law to reorganise the Federal Customs Authority.
The new authority is meant to develop and ensure the implementation of customs policies and legislations, with an effective participation at the international level to support trade facilitation and combat fraud and smuggling.
Al Tayer said commodities imported into the UAE are subject to the customs tariff issued pursuant to the GCC Common Customs Law. There is no UAE law regarding customs. Any laws or regulations issued in the UAE regarding customs are all subject to the GCC Common Customs Law.
Ahmad Al Shamsi, a member from Ajman, asked how the UAE applies a decree to customs cases.
“Any court rulings can easily be appealed. The House should issue a motion to enact a federal customs law sooner than later,” he said.
The House passed a draft law on the Federal Customs Authority, which defined the primary functions and responsibilities of the authority.
According to the bill, the Federal Customs Authority is concerned with drawing up a customs policy in cooperation with customs departments, preparing unified legislation to regulate customs work and supervising implementation of it by customs administration and related government authorities.
The authority also protects the country from cheating and smuggling operations in coordination with other authorities.
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