On 11 June 2021, the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) and the State Customs Service (SCS) of Ukraine completed their two-day training sessions on business process analysis and reengineering (BPAR) organised under the EU-funded project “EU Support to Strengthening Integrated Border Management in Ukraine (EU4IBM)”. This was the second series of such training aimed at creating a pool of BPAR experts within the two border agencies.
“Integrated Border Management helps make legitimate border crossing of persons and goods quicker and more efficient while addressing security threats and preventing cross-border crime. This calls for streamlined and corruption-proof processes both at the border and inside each of the agencies involved. Business process analysis also helps prioritize areas and activities where we can assist Ukraine on its way to EU standards and best practices”, said Xavier Camus, Head of the Good Governance and Democratisation Section at the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine.
The first round of BPAR training took place back in June 2020 to prepare the launch of analysis and reengineering of high-priority business processes within SBGS and SCS in the framework of EU4IBM. Over the year, the methodology has proven its worth, and won additional disciples. Upon the request of the agencies, EU4IBM organized this additional training to build the agencies’ internal capacity to use modern optimization and reengineering techniques widely recognized for their effectiveness in both private and public sectors across the globe.
“Continuous improvement is the only way to ensure economic growth, cultural exchange and welfare of states and to be prepared for new arising challenges, as shown by the COVID-19 crisis. Efficient border management favourable to international trade and cross-border human connections stands on timesaving and cost-effective processes that we strive to promote through our joint work with the Ukrainian agencies”, explained Arunas Adomenas, EU4IBM Team Leader.
The EU4IBM project has recently accomplished the planned 25 analysis-and-optimization sessions prioritized by the Ukrainian authorities, with extensive involvement of previously trained SBGS and SCS representatives as well as European experts. The sessions covered a wide spectrum of topics including interagency information exchange and risk analysis, cross-border information exchange, coordination and conduct of joint operations, processing of travellers and cargo at automobile, air, maritime and rail border crossing points, etc. Apart from redesigning the business processes, their findings fed into the development of a number of model concepts and solutions to be piloted and replicated throughout Ukraine.
