The modern fuel and energy business operates in an environment of high competition, working capital shortages, and the need to ensure continuous supply. For companies in this sector, the speed of customs procedures and logistical efficiency often have a direct impact on product costs and financial performance. This is precisely why the optimization of customs processes is currently a key priority for systematic importers and exporters of energy products.
We discussed this with Vadym Zherebets, a customs expert and head of the PENTADA Group of Companies.
— Mr. Vadym, in recent years, significant changes have occurred in customs legislation aimed at harmonizing Ukrainian procedures with European approaches. How much do these changes currently influence the efficiency of Ukrainian importers and exporters?
— Undoubtedly, this is one of the most important directions for increasing logistical efficiency. For the fuel and energy business, every hour of cargo delay or unnecessary reservation of funds directly affects the company’s economy. Fortunately, in recent years, Ukrainian customs legislation has significantly moved closer to European standards. Today, Ukrainian companies can obtain customs authorizations and simplifications that allow for significantly faster customs clearance, optimized use of financial resources, and more predictable logistical processes. Essentially, we are talking about tools that allow a company to navigate customs procedures faster, with lower costs, and fewer administrative barriers.
— Tell us more about these tools. What specific customs authorizations and simplifications can be useful for fuel and energy sector enterprises today?
— First and foremost, it must be understood that customs authorizations are an official confirmation of a company’s compliance with established criteria for reliability and the organization of customs processes. Once obtained, a company can enjoy a range of simplifications. Regarding the practical effect for business, I would highlight three key areas:
- Use of financial guarantees instead of diverting own funds
For many importers, one of the tangible financial burdens is the need to secure customs payments when moving goods to customs of destination. Today, legislation allows the use of financial guarantees from financial institutions instead of actually reserving the company’s own funds. For companies in the fuel and energy sector that work with large batches of goods and significant amounts of customs payments, this means the ability to keep working capital in the business and use it for procurement, infrastructure development, or financing operational activities. In other words, the funds continue to work for the company rather than being blocked until the goods are cleared. - Cargo clearance directly at the company’s premises
Another important tool is authorizations that allow customs formalities to be performed directly at the company’s location. In practical terms, this means that cargo can arrive at the company’s production sites, where the necessary customs procedures will be performed. For business, this provides a number of advantages: reduced additional logistics costs; decreased vehicle downtime; the ability to plan production and warehouse processes more effectively; and reduced workload on personnel accompanying customs clearance. This effect is particularly noticeable for companies with regular product deliveries. - Advantages of Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) status
It is worth mentioning the status of Authorized Economic Operator separately. Today, AEO is a kind of symbol of trust between business and customs authorities. Companies with this status receive a number of advantages when carrying out foreign economic activity. One of the most practical advantages is the possibility of applying a priority approach when performing customs formalities, including when crossing the customs border. This does not mean automatic exemption from control, but in cases of customs formalities, enterprises with AEO status can count on faster and more predictable processing. For systematic importers of fuel and energy products, this advantage can be significant, especially when dealing with large volumes of supply and the need to ensure supply chain continuity.
— Mr. Vadym, business always evaluates any changes through the prism of economic effect. Are there already practical examples of companies that, thanks to customs authorizations and simplifications, were able to achieve a tangible result in the form of cost reduction or optimization of internal processes?
— Yes, this is probably one of the first questions company executives ask before deciding to implement customs authorizations and simplifications. Business always wants to understand not only regulatory advantages but also the concrete economic effect. We effectively received the answer to this question in March 2026 during the ‘Customs Platform 2026’ event, which brought together representatives of business, the State Customs Service of Ukraine, and experts from EU countries.
During one of the discussions, the results of an assessment of the economic effect of implementing a complex of customs authorizations and simplifications at enterprises already using these tools were voiced. In particular, a representative of the company ‘Vihidna Pokupka’ (the AVRORA multi-market chain) noted that after implementing the relevant tools, the enterprise managed to achieve a reduction in costs for documentary and administrative processes by almost 50 percent. Furthermore, this is not just about direct financial expenses. A significant effect is achieved through reduced customs clearance time, fewer manual operations, optimized personnel work, accelerated logistical processes, and more effective use of the enterprise’s working capital. For fuel and energy sector companies, additional factors of saving include the ability to avoid vehicle downtime, reserve significant amounts of their own funds to secure customs payments, and reduce unproductive expenses associated with undergoing customs procedures. That is why today, customs authorizations are increasingly viewed not as a formal status, but as a real tool for increasing business competitiveness.
— It turns out the potential for optimization is quite significant. What does an enterprise need to obtain such authorizations?
— First of all, it is necessary to assess the current state of the company’s business processes and determine which authorizations can bring the greatest economic effect. The basic requirements and procedure for obtaining customs authorizations are defined by the Customs Code of Ukraine and the subordinate regulations adopted for its implementation. Practically, the procedure involves the customs authorities conducting an assessment of the enterprise based on several criteria, including compliance with customs and tax legislation, a proper accounting system, financial stability, internal control organization, information security, and the level of security and reliability of logistical processes (for certain types of authorizations). It is important to understand that today, obtaining customs authorizations is no longer a tool exclusively for large international corporations. Many Ukrainian companies are successfully passing authorization procedures and receiving a real economic effect from their use. That is why it is advisable for enterprises in the fuel and energy sector to analyze the possibilities for implementing the relevant simplifications and authorizations now, as in modern conditions, logistics speed and effective use of financial resources are increasingly becoming an important competitive advantage.
— In your opinion, what does the success of an enterprise on the path to obtaining customs authorizations depend on, and how realistic is it to complete this path quickly?
— This is indeed a very important question. In practice, the success of obtaining customs authorizations depends not so much on the procedure itself, but on the enterprise’s readiness for change. First of all, it requires an understanding from the owners and management of the company that customs authorizations are not a formality or a one-time project, but a strategic tool for business development that, in the long term, allows for cost reduction, acceleration of logistical processes, and an increase in the enterprise’s competitiveness. The second important factor is having a professional team to accompany the preparation for authorization. This is not just about customs consultants, but also about the enterprise’s internal specialists. And here we come to the third factor: the involvement of all company departments. Obtaining authorizations is effectively a complex project involving accounting, IT specialists, heads of warehouse and logistical infrastructure, legal services, security units, and customs brokers. In our experience, the most successful projects are those where company management views authorization not as a separate customs requirement, but as an opportunity to audit their own business processes and improve the enterprise’s overall work efficiency. That is why our work begins with a detailed analysis of the company’s existing processes. We determine which specific authorizations and simplifications will provide the greatest economic effect, help adapt internal procedures to legal requirements, and accompany the enterprise through all stages of implementing changes. As a result, the company receives not only an authorization but also a more effective system for managing logistical and customs processes.
— Mr. Vadym, thank you for a meaningful conversation. What would you advise the heads of fuel and energy sector enterprises who are only considering the possibility of implementing customs authorizations and simplifications?
— I would advise not to postpone this issue to the future. Today, customs authorizations have ceased to be a tool only for large international corporations. They are becoming a standard of operation for companies that strive to effectively manage logistics, financial resources, and risks. It is important to understand that obtaining authorizations is not an expense for the sake of status. It is an investment in business efficiency. The use of financial guarantees, the possibility of performing customs formalities directly at the enterprise, the advantages of AEO status, and other simplifications allow companies to work faster, more predictably, and more competitively. For the fuel and energy sector, where any delivery delay or diversion of significant working capital can have significant consequences, such tools gain special importance. That is why I advise starting with a professional assessment of the company’s current processes and identifying those authorizations that can provide the greatest economic effect. In most cases, the potential for optimization is much greater than companies expect at the initial stage.
— Thank you for the conversation and practical recommendations.
— Thank you for the invitation. I hope that more and more Ukrainian enterprises will use the opportunities already provided by customs legislation today. This will contribute not only to the development of individual companies but also to increasing the competitiveness of Ukrainian business as a whole.
