On Customs Officer’s Day, which coincides with FCS Russia’s 35th anniversary, head of the service Valery Pikalov addressed staff and veterans with a holiday message on the future of customs administration. Source: FCS Russia.
The text recalls customs officers’ role in protecting the state’s economic interests, facilitating foreign trade, and combating smuggling. Over 35 years the service moved from manual paper processing and full physical inspection to e-declaration with inter-post dispatching and broad digitalisation.
Pikalov described the anniversary year as the start of a transformation after the government approved an updated customs development strategy. Priorities include digitalisation and automation, shorter control procedures, upgraded IT platforms, and a digital customs ecosystem, with EAIS TO 2.0—built on domestic technology and AI—as the flagship project.
He called for performance metrics that deliver results exceeding resources spent and framed the coming year as one of initiatives in technology, cutting red tape, aligned development with foreign partners, and improving customs administration.
The message highlights the multidisciplinary workforce—from inspectors and analysts to IT staff and medics—and support for participants in the special military operation, border-region officers, and their families. Pikalov wished everyone a happy holiday, health, and success.
