What happened — in brief
The State Customs Service has launched the country’s first case of a fully automated release of goods in the import and temporary importation regimes. Previously the auto-clearance technology was used only for exports; it is now extended to imports, but at this stage only for businesses with the highest level of trust, i.e., for AEOs (authorized economic operators).
"This direction of development corresponds to the practice of the European Union, where the automation of customs procedures is standard for compliant businesses. Introducing auto-release in the import regime is another step for Ukraine toward aligning customs procedures with European ones"
— State Customs Service (official statement)
Who it concerns
Primarily — companies with AEO status. This status means that a company operates according to high safety and compliance standards in international supply chains. For such companies the system provides:
simplified declaration procedures; priority handling of customs formalities; a reduced risk profile in the automated system; dedicated lanes at checkpoints. This is not only convenience for business, but a real reduction in delivery time and transit risks.
How it works — technology and limitations
Auto-release is carried out based on the results of an automated risk assessment by the customs processing system. Unlike exports, imports are subject to stricter criteria — regarding goods, operations and the importers themselves. The pilot for automated processing of export declarations started in May 2020; according to the Customs Service, in February 2026 over 6.5% of export declarations were processed completely automatically.
Why it matters for Ukraine
In short — it’s a matter of speed, transparency and trust. Automating imports for reliable businesses:
1) reduces processing time and lowers corruption risks by minimizing interactions that require manual intervention; 2) increases the predictability of logistics for companies, which is important during wartime and in economic recovery; 3) brings Ukraine’s procedures closer to EU standards, which is important for integration and the trust of international partners.
Last year’s record performance with the NCTS common transit system (2025) demonstrates that our infrastructure can scale — the task now is to refine algorithms for import and gradually expand the circle of beneficiaries.
What’s next
For now — this is a controlled step: strict criteria and testing of mechanisms. The answer to the key question — whether the system can be expanded to more companies and larger groups of goods — will depend on the results of this stage and on technical and political support. If everything goes according to plan, this will become another practical argument for investors and partners: Ukrainian customs can operate to European standards and support economic resilience in difficult times.