It develops the conceptual framework of the institutionalization of public-private partnership in customs affairs based on differentiation between the concepts of institute and institution, which is used as the basis for definition of the concept of institutionalization as transformation of the system of regulations and rules (institutes) into sustained legal, economic, social, political structures and organizational forms (institutions) due to changes in economic and social needs. In this context, the institutionalization of public-private partnership presents formation of institutions, where the relations between the state and business are governed in a way enshrined in regulations and rules.
The thesis defines theoretical and institutional prerequisites for the introduction of public-private partnership in customs affairs. The theoretical prerequisites include the development of institutional economic theory, as well as the classification of public-private partnership into an independent theoretical notion. The institutional prerequisites are: extensive practice of public-private partnership in the world, which offers the opportunity to use proven customs practices; legislative and regulatory institutional provisions and regulatory bodies for public-private partnership in place in Ukraine.
It elaborates the body of functions of the customs, having highlighted the control and supervision function as a public institution for the protection of economic interests of the state, as well as the instrumental function as a service institution serving to ensure convenience of foreign economic activity actors, which contributes to the harmonization of public and private interests.
It refines the system of principles of institutionalization of public-private partnership in customs affairs, which, unlike existing principles, combines groups of principles of institutional analysis, agency, public-private partnership, customs organization and service philosophy of public services provision. When implemented, these principles will contribute to organizational and economic efficiency of public-private partnership as a result of their mutual dependence and complementarity.
It develops conceptual provisions of institutionalization of public-private partnership in the customs affairs of Ukraine based on the postulates of the institutional economic theory, complementarity of system, resource potential, competence, project, risk-oriented, subject-oriented approaches, which form the foundation for development of methodological approaches and tools for institutionalization of public-private partnership in customs affairs.
It analyzes economic factors of the development of public-private partnership in Ukraine using the ease of doing business and global competitiveness indices. It was found that the most troubled areas are macroeconomic stability (inflation level and fiscal policy stability), financial system (availability of credit, equity, borrowed resources, insurance and other financial products as well as mitigation of excessive risk and opportunistic behavior of the financial system), institutional aspect (security, property rights, social capital, check and balances system, transparency and ethics, public sector effectiveness and corporate management). Analysis by the index of readiness for implementation of public-private infrastructure projects showed that Ukraine's weak spot in this area remains legal and regulatory framework, in particular, the regulator's acts regarding distribution of risks, coordination of actions by government entities. Under this index, the country ranked among immature ones.
It develops a methodological approach to the analysis of macroeconomic factors of development of the institution of public-private partnership in customs affairs. This approach is different from existing ones by the method of determination of the integral index of macroeconomic soundness, which is calculated as a taxonomy indicator combining the most important (according to the values of factor weight found by multidimensional factor analysis) macroeconomic environment factors, which include: change in real GDP, GDP per capita, producer price index, gross savings, trade balance, exchange rate, minimum wage, average monthly wage, labor force, interest rate on new loans in hryvnia. It was found that in 2009 through 2018 the country saw a low level of macroeconomic soundness favorable for development of public-private partnership in the customs affairs of Ukraine, while in 2019 it went up to an average level, which gives reasons to expect intensification of public-private partnership both in general and in customs in particular.
