KYIV, Ukraine— The United States signed a Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement (CMAA) with Ukraine on May 23, 2016, marking a significant milestone in collaboration on security and trade facilitation between the two countries. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner R. Gil Kerlikowske signed the agreement on behalf of the U.S. and the Head of State Fiscal Services, Roman Nasirov, signed on behalf of Ukraine.
“This agreement will enable us to jointly collaborate on investigations, share best practices, expand on our bilateral relationship, and exchange information that is vital to our national and economic security,” said CBP Commissioner R. Gil Kerlikowske.
CMAAs are bilateral agreements between countries that provide the legal framework for the exchange of information and evidence to assist countries in the enforcement of customs laws, including duty evasion, trafficking, proliferation, money laundering, and terrorism-related activities. CMAAs are enforced by a country’s respective customs administrations, which in the case of the U.S. is CBP and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). CMAAs also serve as foundational documents for subsequent information sharing arrangements, including mutual recognition arrangements on authorized economic operator programs.
Thus far, the U.S. has signed 77 CMAAs with other customs administrations across the world.
CBP is one of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s largest and most complex components, with a priority mission of keeping terrorists and their weapons out of the U.S. It also has responsibility for securing the border and facilitating lawful international trade and travel, while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws and regulations, including immigration and drug la
ICE is the largest investigative arm of the DHS with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.