Английский язык для таможенников = English for Customs Officers

Утверждено
Министерством образования
Республики Беларусь
в качестве учебника для студентов
учреждений высшего образования
по специальности «Таможенное дело»

 Минск
«Вышэйшая школа»
2018

О.В. Веремейчик

Английский язык 
для таможенников
English 
for Customs Officers

УДК 811.111:339.543(075.8)
ББК 81.2Англ.я7
В31

Ре ц е н з е н т ы: кафедра белорусского и иностранного языков учреждения образования «
Академия Министерства внутренних дел Республики Беларусь» (кандидат 
педагогических наук, доцент С.С. Денисова); заведующий кафедрой английского 
и восточных языков учреждения образования «Белорусский государственный экономический 
университет»; кандидат педагогических наук, доцент Е.А. Малашенко

Все права на данное издание защищены. Воспроизведение всей книги или любой ее 
части не может быть осуществлено без разрешения издательства.

Веремейчик, О. В. 
В31  Английский язык для таможенников = English for Customs 
Offi  cers : учебник / О. В. Веремейчик. – Минск : Вышэйшая 
школа, 2018. – 327 с. : ил.
ISBN 978-985-06-3036-0.

Содержится аутентичный материал, тематически связанный с основами 
таможенного дела. Представленные в пособии задания ориентированы 
на освоение профессиональной лексики, терминологии, развитие навыков 
разговорной речи и активное использование специальной лексики в предметной 
области. 
Предназначено студентам специальности «Таможенное дело», слушателям 
высших учебных заведений и различных курсов повышения квалификации 
в области внешнеэкономической деятельности, а также для самостоятельной 
работы студентов по освоению курса. Может быть использовано в 
качестве дополни тельного материала на интенсивных курсах.

УДК 811.111:339.543(075.8) 
ББК 81.2Англ.я7

ISBN 978-985-06-3036-0 
© Веремейчик О.В., 2018
 
© Оформление. УП «Издательство “Вышэйшая
 
школа”», 2018

CONTENTS

ПРЕДИСЛОВИЕ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    4

UNIT 1. THE CUSTOMS SERVICE OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS . . .    6
UNIT 2. CUSTOMS CONTROL. PASSENGER CONTROL . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   30
UNIT 3. AT THE CUSTOMS  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   46
UNIT 4. CUSTOMS PROCEDURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   60
UNIT 5. HARMONIZED SYSTEM  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   80
UNIT 6. CUSTOMS VALUATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
UNIT 7. CUSTOMS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
UNIT 8. THE ROLE OF CUSTOMS  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
UNIT 9. THE PROFESSION OF A CUSTOMS OFFICER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
UNIT 10. CODE OF CONDUCT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
UNIT 11. CUSTOMS TECHNOLOGIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
UNIT 12. RISK MANAGEMENT IN CUSTOMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
UNIT 13. CUSTOMS COMMUNICATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
UNIT 14. CUSTOMS OFFENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
UNIT 15. DRUG CONTROL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
UNIT 16. WORLD CUSTOMS ORGANIZATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
UNIT 17. CUSTOMS CONVENTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
UNIT 18. SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT AND LOGISTICS . . . . . . . . . . 292

KEYS  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305

SOURCES OF REFERENCE  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324

ПРЕДИСЛОВИЕ

Понятие «таможенное дело» объединяет широкий 
круг вопросов экономического, юридического и организационного 
характера, так или иначе затрагивающих 
внешнеэкономическую деятельность. 
В учебнике на основании документов международных 
организаций (WCO) и таможенного законодательства 
ЕАЭС освещены управленческие, экономические 
и правовые основы организации и осуществления таможенного 
дела как комплексной, междисциплинарной 
области знаний. Особое внимание уделено таможенному 
контролю и таможенному оформлению, как одним из 
основных функций таможенных органов, а также техническим 
средствам таможенного контроля и информационным 
технологиям, применяемым в этой сфере. Учебник 
подготовлен на основе нормативных источников, 
выдержек из международных документов, статей и других 
материалов, список которых представлен в конце.
Основное назначение предлагаемого учебника – оказание 
практической помощи лицам, изучающим профессионально-
ориентированный 
английский 
язык. 
Курс предназначен для специалистов в сфере таможенного 
дела и внешнеэкономической деятельности. В нем 
предлагается оригинальная методика работы с материалом, 
которая основана на использовании разнообразных 
способов его подачи, систематическом повторении 
лексики по темам и активном применении различных 
коммуникативных приемов.
Учебник включает 18 тематических блоков. Их структура 
определяется общей целью освоения будущими 
специалистами лексических, грамматических и стилистических 
средств выражения основных понятий таможенного 
дела, развития навыков разговорной речи и 
активного использования специальной лексики в предметной 
области.
В каждый блок входят основные тексты по конкретной 
тематике таможенного дела, послетекстовые лексические  
и грамматические упражнения. Для более точ-

ной передачи контекстуального значения некоторые 
явления и понятия сопровождаются переводом на русский 
язык.
Наличие раздела «Follow-up activities» позволяет не 
только расширить словарный запас обучающихся, закрепить 
сформированные лексико-грамматические навыки 
говорения и чтения, но и расширить кругозор слушателей. 
Для более тщательной отработки основного тематического 
материала в данной части предлагается двусто-
ронний письменный перевод отдельных предложе ний и 
фрагментов текста.
С целью контроля усвоения тематического материала 
и «выхода в речь» в каждом разделе урока используются 
более сложные упражнения – ситуативные имитации, 
выполнение которых подразумевает свободное владение 
профессиональной лексикой в пределах конкретной 
тематики.
Кроссворды, ребусы, задания творческого характера 
в разделе «Do it for fun» делают изучение профессионально-
ориентированного иностранного языка более 
интересным и занимательным. 
Раздел «Keys» содержит ответы к наиболее сложным 
лексическим и грамматическим упражнениям, а также решение 
ребусов и кроссвордов.

Автор

UNIT 1
THE CUSTOMS SERVICE
OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS

TEXT 1.1. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

• Study the following words and word combinations from the text.

seal
клеймо, печать
to verify
подтверждать, удостоверять
to evolve
развиваться
sovereignty []
суверенитет
sovereign []
суверенный, независимый
nomenclature
[]
номенклатура

to forge
изобретать
to be passed
быть принятым
Charter
устав
Code
кодекс
framework
структура, основа, рамка
to stipulate
оговаривать
wording
формулировка

Th e origin of the current Russian word for Customs “tamozhnya” 
dates back to the times of the Mongol-Tatar yoke. Th e word tamga, 
in Tatar, meant “a Customs tax, the offi  cial who collected it, and the 
stamped seal or statement verifying that it had been paid”. At that time 
each market had its tamozhnya, and the right to collect duties could be 
purchased from the State. As a rule this right was acquired by power-
ful merchants.

THE CREATION OF THE BELARUSIAN CUSTOMS SERVICE dates 
back to 1990s. But Customs Service on the territory of Belarus has a more 
than one thousand-year history. Th e fi rst Customs that were called “myt-
nizy” appeared in the 9th century. Th ey were located near bridges, river 
crossings, in the cities close to the main trade ways. Taxes and duties were 

collected by “mytniky”. It came from the word “myto”. Th e words “myto” 
and “myt” were mentioned for the fi rst time in the agreement between Ki-
evan Rus and Byzantine Empire in 905. Th ese words had the same mean-
ing as today’s customs duty. Th ere were diff erent kinds of myto. Th ere was 
“dry” myto collected from carriges and “water” myto that was applied for 
boats.
In 1991 the Belarusian offi  ce of the USSR State Customs Control was 
transformed into the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Be-
larus. All the USSR Customs facilities that were stationed on the territory 
of Belarus were brought under the supervision of the newly-formed com-
mittee. Th at was the beginning of a new era in the history of the Belaru-
sian Customs Service, which saw it evolve into a law-enforcement body 
defending economic interests of the country. 
Historically, Belarus has always been a territory on the way of major 
freight and passenger railway and motorcar transport fl ows from East to West 
and from West to East of the European continent. Aft er Belarus gained sover-
eignty in 1991, it realized it had to place more eff ort in guarding its economic 
interests and that was the main mission of Customs authorities. 
Before 1991, there were four Customs stations in Belarus. Despite 
socio-economic diffi  culties the country faced aft er gaining sovereignty, 
there was an urgent need to create an integrated system of Customs Ser-
vice within a short period of time in order to ensure economic security 
of the sovereign state. Th e work on forging Сustoms legislation started at 
that time.
A law “On the Fundamentals of Organization of the Customs Service 
of the Republic of Belarus” was passed in 1992. Th e document stipulated 
legal and organizational aspects of Customs Service and outlined its mis-
sion and goals which were aimed at protecting economic interests of the 
state. Two documents were adopted at that time: the Republic of Belarus 
State Customs Committee Regulations and the Customs Service Charter. 
In 1993, the Customs Code and a law “On Customs Tariff ” were 
passed. Since 1995, specialists have been working on unifying Сustoms 
legislations of Belarus and Russia in the framework of the Customs Union. 
Оn July 17, 1998 a new Customs Code of the Republic of Belarus was 
introduced. It has become the major legal document regulating the work 
of Belarusian Сustoms authorities. On February 2, 2000, new Republic of 
Belarus State Customs Committee Regulations were adopted. 
On July 1, 2002, a Commodity Nomenclature of Foreign Econom-
ic Activity (CNFEA) of the Republic of Belarus was introduced. It had 

been developed on the basis of a new (2002) wording of the Harmonized 
Commodity Description and Coding System. Th e new nomenclature is 
based on a ten-digit coding system. Such a classifi cation allows to spec-
ify commodity nomenclature giving an CNFEA individual code to the 
goods which have the same names but diff erent technical or consumer 
properties. 
Since 2010 the most close and fruitful Customs cooperation of the 
 Republic of Belarus has been conducted in the post-Soviet area in the 
Union State of Russia and Belarus, the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) 
and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

EXERCISES

I. Match the words from the text with their corresponding definitions.

1. to verify
a. to try or intend to achieve something
2. to acquire
b. to develop something new
3. facilities 
c. to combine to make a single unit
4. to guard
d. to specify as a condition or requirement (as of an 
agreement or off er)
5. to ensure
e. to start to deal with or think about something in a 
particular way
6. to forge
f. to obtain something by buying it or being given it
7. to stipulate
g. to protect a person, place, or object by staying near 
them and watching them
8. to aim
i. to bring a plan, system, or product into use for the 
fi rst time
9. to adopt
j. to make certain that something will happen pro perly
10. to unify
k. rooms, equipment, or services that are provided for 
a particular purpose
11. to introduce
l. to discover whether something is correct or true

II. Find the words/phrases in the text which follow the verbs below.

to collect
to gain
to outline 
to acquire
to ensure
to unify
to defend
to stipulate
to give

III. Match the major legal documents, regulating the activities of the 
Belarusian Ñustoms Service, with their corresponding definitions in 
 Russian.

1. On the Fundamentals of Orga-
nization of the Customs Service 
of the Republic of Belarus

a. О таможенном тарифе

2. Th e Republic of Belarus State 
Customs Committee Regulations
b. Устав таможенной службы

3. On Customs Tariff 
c. Гармонизированная система 
опи сания и кодирования това ров
4. A Commodity Nomenclature 
of Foreign Economic Activity of 
the Republic of Belarus

d. Таможенный кодекс Евразийского 
экономического союза

5. Th e Harmonized Commodity 
Description and Coding System
e. Об основах организации таможенной 
службы Респуб лики Беларусь

6. Th e Customs Code of the Eur-
asian Economic Union 
f. Товарная номенклатура внешнеэкономической 
дея тельности 
Республики Беларусь
7. Th e Customs Service Charter
g. Положение о Государствен ном 
таможенном комитете Рес публики 
Беларусь

TEXT 1.2. A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE RUSSIAN 
CUSTOMS SERVICE

• Study the following words and word combinations from the text.

to intertwine []
переплетаться
to entrust
доверить, поручать
under the auspices  
[]
под эгидой, под руководст вом, 
при содействии
rapprochement (fr.) 
[] – (esp. in inter-
national relations) 

восстановление или возобновление 
дружественных отношений 
между государствами

RUSSIA’S CUSTOMS SERVICE is intertwined with the history of the 
Russian state. Th e Russian Customs Service predates the Mongol Yoke 
(1237–1480). Some three centuries before, in Kievan Rus, taxes were col-
lected for the transportation of goods through the frontiers of its indi-
vidual princedoms. Th ere were Mytnic Brigades, who were responsible for 
the trading and transit of Myto Duties. At the end of the 13th century the 

Mytnic Brigades were replaced by Tamgachey collectors of the Mongolian 
Khan Horde who collected the so-called Tamgha Duty. 
Th e Tamgha Duty proved to be one of the most profi table fees collected 
and was calculated according to a commodity’s value. Ever since that time, 
this fee has come to be known as a Customs duty and its place of collec-
tion – a Customs offi  ce. 
Revenue collection was entrusted to the Russian Principalities and by 
the 14th century the right to collect the duties and be Customs offi  cials 
could be inherited or purchased in some towns, villages and small admin-
istrative settlements, the volosty. 
Th us, Russia has had a Customs Service in some form for the past 1000 
years. Th e Russian Customs Service has always targeted smuggling. In the 
15th and 17th centuries foreigners were oft en found to be smuggling out 
of Russia secret maps of its territories and its fortresses. 
Th e Russian Customs Service has always been much more than a force 
for keeping out contraband. In fact, it has been a powerful administrative 
organ, serving mainly protectionist leaders.
Th e fi rst Russian Customs statute was handed down in 1667. It was 
strict towards foreigners. Th ey were allowed to trade only in frontier towns 
on pain of confi scation. To trade further inside the country a special tsar’s 
certifi cate was required. Such protectionism held away for most of the 
next 300 years. All tsars (from Peter the Great to Nicolas II) approved laws 
limiting the import of foreign goods, thus defending Russian producers. 
Peter the Great pioneered the modernization of the Russian Customs 
Service, especially, in the organization of its personnel. In 1699 the post of 
Burmistr (Th e Head of the Customs Service) was adopted.
Since 1720 the major Customs offi  cers were called Senior Customs 
Observers or Inspectors. According to the Manifest of the Russian Em-
press Elizabeth domestic Customs houses were abolished along with 
17 internal trade and transit duties. Inward and outward commodity 
transactions were levied with an additional 13 % duty in Russian cur-
rency. 
Since 1811 the Customs Division in the Foreign Trade Department of 
the Ministry of Finance has been responsible for the management of all 
Сustoms stations. In 1864 the Customs Division was renamed the Cus-
toms Revenue Collection Department of the Ministry of Finance. 
In April 1918 the basic organization of the Сustoms was fi xed by the 
Sovnarkom Decree of the Government Regulation of Foreign Trade. Th e 

main focus was on the Governmental control of foreign trade and smug-
gling. In 1921 a Customs Department which was responsible for state 
control over the Сustoms stations was established as a part of the Soviet 
Ministry of Foreign Trade. From 1946 to 1986 it was under the control of 
the Ministry of Foreign Trade of the USSR. Later the Main Customs De-
partment became the State Customs Directorate under the auspices of the 
Council of Ministers of the USSR.
Having overcome destructive eff ects of disintegration of the USSR, 
having inherited 14 thousand kilometres of not developed borders, se-
verely lacking professional force, the service has passed a long way of 
growth and development. 
During the period 1991–94, much was done to create Customs legisla-
tion in Russia. Two important laws were put into power: “Th e Customs 
Code of the Russian Federation” and “On Customs Tariff ”. All provisions 
and regulations in these documents are of the world standards.
Customs Service of Russia today (Federal Customs Service) is one of 
the largest Customs Services in the world. It is a multifunctional, techni-
cally equipped structure, with qualifi ed personnel working in it. 
Th e FCS of Russia is composed of regional Customs Administ rations, 
Customs offi  ces, Customs terminals, and checkpoints at the state border. 
In its structure there is a higher education establishment – Russian Cus-
toms Academy, recognized by the World Customs Organization as one of 
its regional training centres. 
Federal Customs Service has seven representative offi  ces abroad – in 
Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzia, Finland, Germany and Belgium. 
Th e opening of representative offi  ces in China and Poland are being con-
sidered now. 
In the territory with 11 time zones it successfully controls foreign trade 
turnover of Russia.
Customs policy has a far greater share and importance in Russia’s regu-
lation of economic activities than in industrial countries with developed 
market economics. Customs policy has already performed its historical 
role in Western European countries. 
Today Russia has the world’s longest border to police. Th e Russian 
Federation has a modern, multi-functioning Customs Service which is 
able to take a deserving place in market economy regulation and is com-
petent to help in rapprochement between the Russian and world econo-
mies.