A new mechanism of interaction between key law enforcement agencies has been launched in Ukraine: the State Tax Service (STS) and the State Border Guard Service (SBGS). The parties have agreed to switch to automated data exchange, which radically changes the approach to detecting financial violations, while not introducing new restrictions for citizens.
From red tape to digital protocol
Until recently, the process of obtaining information about border crossings was laborious and slow. Tax authorities had to send written requests, which border guards processed manually. This took a significant amount of time and required substantial human resources.
The situation changed after the signing of the relevant agreement and protocol by the heads of the agencies — Lesya Karnaukh (STS) and Valeriy Vavrynyuk (SBGS). Now the system works in real-time: a tax officer generates an electronic request, and the automated system provides an answer in seconds.
Goal: fighting "grey" schemes
The main task of implementing the innovation is not to control citizens, but to increase the efficiency of law enforcement agencies. The STS explained that access to border crossing data will allow for faster detection of:
- Fictitious trade operations;
- "Grey" import and export schemes;
- Tax evasion methods;
- Violations of tax residency rules.
According to Lesya Karnaukh, this will become a powerful tool in countering the shadow economy. Information on border crossings will be used in conjunction with other data, allowing for the construction of more accurate profiles of suspicious activity.
Security and legal guarantees
The agencies emphasized that the new mechanism operates within a strict legal framework. Each request is generated only regarding one person or vehicle and exclusively when there is a clear legal basis. Data exchange takes place through the protected National Confidential Communication System.
Valeriy Vavrynyuk noted that automation will reduce request processing time and ensure a high level of information protection. At the same time, he assured that border crossing rules remain the same: the innovation does not affect the time of border control passage and does not create additional checks for ordinary citizens.
Tax debts do not block departure
The STS paid special attention to explaining citizens' rights. The existence of tax issues or arrears in itself is not grounds for restricting the right to leave the country. Such a decision can only be made by a court in the manner prescribed by law. Thus, the automation of data exchange does not mean an automatic "ban" on departure for debtors.
This step demonstrates the state's desire to modernize the fiscal system, making it more transparent and efficient, without resorting to excessive administrative pressure on the population.
