The Meeting of Heads of Customs Services of BRICS Countries was held under the chairmanship of Valery Pikalyov.

Under the chairmanship of Valery Pikalyov, a meeting of the heads of customs services of the BRICS countries took place. The sides reviewed customs cooperation within the framework of the Russian presidency in the BRICS. The heads of customs services exchanged views on priority aspects of interaction. One of the key topics of discussion was the recognition of the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) institution in the BRICS. Work is underway to prepare a draft Model Agreement on Mutual Recognition of AEOs. To implement this initiative, a Joint Action Plan and a Roadmap for its implementation were signed. The participants of the meeting agreed to make concerted efforts for the prompt signing of the Agreement on Cooperation and Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters, modernize customs interaction by transferring it to a more practical format, and develop joint work in the law enforcement sphere. Valery Pikalyov welcomed the new participants who joined the association this year: Egypt, Iran, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia. He emphasized the importance of providing comprehensive support to these countries for their inclusion in customs cooperation processes within the BRICS. At the end of the meeting, a document was signed that consolidates the results of the work already done and outlines the vector of future aspirations for the development and improvement of the effectiveness of the activities of the customs services of the BRICS.