EU4PFM supports Ukraine on its path to a European Customs System — Contract for NCTS Phase 6 signed

The State Customs Service of Ukraine has signed a contract for the development of the NCTS Phase 6 system. The development and implementation of this system is identified as a key priority in the customs sphere in the European Commission’s annual reports on Ukraine’s progress towards EU accession. The contract will be financed by the EU4PFM Programme, as part of broader EU assistance to Ukraine in its preparations for EU membership.

As is known, Ukraine joined the Convention on a Common Transit Procedure in 2022 on the condition of timely transition to NCTS Phase 5. This requirement was successfully met — in April 2024, Ukraine became one of the first among the 36 Convention countries to make the switch. The system’s development was financed by EU4PFM. NCTS Phase 6 represents the next stage in the evolution of the transit system, aligning it with the requirements of EU Regulations on the development of electronic customs systems under MASP-C — the Multi-Annual Strategic Plan for Electronic Customs.

“By funding the development of NCTS Phase 6, the EU, through the EU4PFM Programme, is helping Ukraine advance its customs IT systems in step with EU Regulations and the EU’s strategic roadmap for electronic systems — so that by the time of accession, Ukraine stands on equal footing with EU Member States,” says Vytenis Alisauskas, EU4PFM International Expert in Customs.

The EU Member States are preliminarily scheduled to begin transitioning to NCTS Phase 6 in September 2025. Ukraine aims to develop and implement the system in 2026.