Text 10. 1. Ethics and Code of conduct

 

Public service is a public trust. Therefore, Customs employees have a responsibility to their Government and its citizens to place loyalty to the Government, laws and ethical principals above private gain.

 

 

¹ Offence – an illegal action or a crime; the act of upsetting or insulting smb.

 

Ethics deals with the fundamental issues of practical decision-making, and its major concerns include the nature of ultimate value and the standards by which human actions can be judged right or wrong. Ethics is a set of principles which determines standards of personal and professional behaviour. It is not just obeying the law, or sticking to rules and regulations; ethics goes beyond the law to include the way of making and justifying decisions when it is not completely clear what is the right or wrong thing to do.

 

While there is no set of rules capable of providing answers to all ethical questions which arise, every organization should have a set of rules and guidelines which are the boundaries within which every employee must operate every day. In other words, Code of conduct. Customs Service is not an exception. A Code of Conduct may serve as a guide to solving issues for those working in Customs, and those who have dealings with officers of Customs.

 

This point was recognized by the World Customs Organization (WCO) in the WCO Revised Arusha Declaration on Integrity in Customs which includes a specific recommendation on the issue of Codes of Conduct. The Arusha Declaration¹ states that: «Customs employees should be issued with a Code of Conduct, the implications of which should be fully explained to them. There should be effective disciplinary measures, which should include the possibility of dismissal».

The Purpose of Code of Ethics and Conduct is to describe the minimum standards of behaviour required of all Customs employees. These standards of behaviour shall be demonstrated by all Customs employees and are to serve as a guide when making decisions and taking actions. To ensure public confidence in the integrity of Customs, all Customs employees shall respect and adhere to their particular Code of Ethics and Conduct, which generally comprises the following key elements:

 

1. Personal Responsibility.

2. Compliance with the Law.

3. Relations with the Public.

 

¹ The Arusha Declaration was initially adopted in 1993 in Arusha, Tanzania. On the basis of the ten year experiences it has been revised in 2003. The Revised Arusha Declaration is the focal tool and central feature of a global and effective approach to preventing corruption and increasing the level of integrity in Customs.

 

4. Limitations on the Acceptance of Gifts, Rewards, Hospitality and Discounts.

 

5. Avoiding Conflicts of Interest.

6. Limitations on Political Activities.

7. Conduct in Money Matters.

8. Confidentiality and Use of Official Information.

9. Use of Official Property and Services.

10. Private Purchases of Government Property by Employees

 

11. Work Environment.

In many countries a Code of Conduct provides the framework for appropriate conduct in a variety of contexts and establishes standards of behaviour expected of Customs officers. «The Code of Ethics and Conduct Booklet» developed by the Australian Customs Service emphasizes the following issues:

 

«...Personal Behaviour. Customs officers are to

 

· perform official duties with skills, care, diligence and impartiality, using authority in a fair and unbiased way;

 

· observe acts, regulations, instructions and lawful directions;

· provide the public with service in a professional manner;

· not take improper advantage of any official information acquired in the course of official duties...»

 

«Criminal offences. All officers of Customs must comply with thelaw. Breaches of criminal law will lead to prosecution and / or disciplinary action … Offences relating to legislation which Customs administers are regarded most gravely when committed by Customs officers. Customs officers who commit offences involving prohibited drugs, fraud, accepting bribes, or illegal importation or exportation of goods will be subject to disciplinary action, in addition to any penalty applied as a result of criminal proceedings...»

 

«Gifts or Benefits. The offering of gifts and / or benefits may be seenas an attempt to influence a decision which an officer is required to take...»

The Customs Service has no right to public recognition or trust if its staff breaks the law habitually. Maintaining an environment that encourages ethical behaviour among all Customs staff must be a high priority for each officer. Customs authorities need to promote a culture which includes such values as honesty, fairness, accountability, professionalism and integrity.

 

The CCC's Arusha Declaration defines integrity as a science concerning discipline, professional ethics, courtesy, personal integrity and strictness.

 

The public is entitled to have complete confidence, trust and respect in the integrity of its Customs administrations and to expect all Customs employees to be honest, impartial and professional in the manner in which they employ their skills, knowledge, experience and official authorities. To maintain public confidence, it is important that Customs employees show the highest standards of integrity in their dealings with members of the public, the business community and other Government officials, and maintain the same standards in their personal lives. It is essential that Customs demonstrate high ethical standards to project an image of Customs that is above reproach.

 

EXERCISES

 

I. Are the following words positive (+) or negative (-)?

 

to accomplish	illicit	breaches
to obstruct	courteous	diligence
to hinder	unbiased	impartiality
to obey	corrupt	bribes
to comply with	fair	accountability
to justify	improper	reproach

 

II. Find the words/phrases in the box which collocate with the nouns in bold.

 

deliver, win, adopt, settle, face, betray, generate, pay, solve, obey, tackle, impose, enforce, shake, produce, inspire, rescind, violate, collect, to be subject to

 

1. to deliver revenue	2. ________law	3. ________issue
			__________	__________
__________
__________	__________	__________
__________	__________

 

 

4. _________ confidence 5. __________ penalty

 

___________ ____________

___________ ____________

___________ ____________

 

III. Fill in the following table and make sentences.

 

Reference words: revenue, behavior, courteous, fraud, to judge, to obey, regulations, to justify, trafficking, framework, to observe, breaches, offences, penalty, a set of principles, to comply with, prohibited drugs, disciplinary action, punishment.

 

Customs	Law	A Code of Conduct
responsibilities

 

IV. Complete the following questions adding the tags.

 

1. Corruption diminishes the ability of the Customs Service to accomplish its mission, ______________?

2. Customs must demonstrate high ethical standards, __________?

3. Ethics is a set of principles, __________?

 

4. Ethics is not just obeying the law, __________?

5. There is no set of rules capable of providing answers to all ethical questions, __________?

6. Customs authorities need to promote a culture which includes such values as honesty, fairness, accountability, professionalism, and integrity, __________?

 

7. A corrupt Customs Service will not deliver the revenue that is properly due to the state, __________?

8. The Australian Customs Service developed The Code of Ethics,

__________?

9. Breaches of criminal law will lead to prosecution or disciplinary action, __________?

 

10. The CCC's Arusha Declaration defines integrity as a science concerning professional ethics, __________?

 

V. Match left to the right to make up sentences.

 

1.	Corruption...	a. who commit offences involving prohibited
		drugs, fraud, accepting bribes, or illegal
		importation or exportation of goods will be
		subject to disciplinary action.
2.	Ethics...	b. has the right to expect that the behaviour
		of Customs staff will be in line with their
		expectations.

 

3. Customs officers... c. are regarded most gravely when committed by Customs officers.

 

4.	The Arusha	d. can destroy the efficient functioning of
Declaration...	any society.
5.	The community...	e. will not be efficient in the fight against
		illicit trafficking.

 

6. A code of conduct... f. defines integrity as a science concerning discipline, professional ethics, courtesy, personal integrity and strictness.

 

7.	Offences...	g. is a set of principles which determines
		standards of personal and professional
		behaviour.
8.	A corrupt Customs	h. provides the framework for appropriate
Service...	conduct in a variety of contexts and
		establishes standards of behaviour expected
		of Customs officers.

 

VI. Translate the following questions.

 

1. К чему может привести коррупция в таможне?

2. Почему так важно, чтобы таможенники имели высокий уро-вень сознания?

 

3. Что представляет собой учение о нравственности, морали?

4. Какую роль выполняет кодекс поведения?

 

5. Какие правила были разработаны австралийской таможней?

6. К чему приводят нарушения уголовного права?

7. Какие нарушения, допущенные таможенниками, считаются наиболее серьезными?

8. Что может рассматриваться как попытка повлиять на решение таможенника?

 

9. В каком случае таможня имеет право на общественное при-знание?

10. Какой кодекс поведения должны выработать таможенные власти для создания безупречного имиджа?

 

VII. Speculate about the Code of Conduct in the Belarusian Customs Service.

 

 

Study the following words and word combinations from the text.

 

deference [ˈdefərəns] уважение, почтение

to perturb [pə´tə:b] волновать, беспокоить

to contrive [kənˈtraɪv] придумывать, изобретать

to hand down передавать по наследству

immutable неизменный, непреложный, постоян-

ный

flatly решительнo, наотрез

to sling (разг.) швырнуть

touchy-feely открыто проявляющий свои эмоции,

раскрепощённый

blunt грубоватый, прямой, резкий

uncouth [ʌnˈkuːθ] неотесанный, грубый