Country:Italy Field:Customs and Tax Policy (Domestic Revenue Mobilisation)
Institution:Customs Service
Rosario de Blasio has been working for the last five years as the EU High Level Adviser on Customs and Tax Policy in the Republic of Moldova providing policy recommendations on the implementation of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement/DCFTA.
Previously, he worked for 10 years (2005-2015) at the European Union Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine, advising both countries in the development of their customs and border policies, regulatory and institutional reform in approximation and alignment with EU and Association Agreements/DCFTA requirements. He gained extensive experience in improving Moldova-Ukraine cross-border cooperation in line with EU best practices, especially through implementation of modern cooperation tools, such as joint control and exchange of pre-arrival information on goods and people. His home experience includes twenty years at Customs Agency in Italy.
Rosario’s current assignment in the Republic of Moldova includes policy advice in the implementation of the EU-Moldova AA/DCFTA through strengthening domestic revenue mobilisation, simplified procedures and effective measures to fight against smuggling with a view to ensuring revenue collection, safety and security at the customs borders. He provided support in the structural reform of the Customs Service, including a new organisational structure and incentive schemes for staff, with the aim of improving its institutional capacities and reducing corruption. The EU High-Level Adviser is also advising his beneficiaries in the approximation of customs and tax regulations with those of the EU, including the development of new draft Customs Code.