The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
back in the TIR Customs transit system
Geneva,
29 November 2001
As of 1 December 2001 the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
will rejoin the TIR Customs transit system. From this date foreign TIR
approved heavy goods vehicles will be able to transit to, from and through the
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia using the internationally standardized TIR
procedure, which provides for efficient transport and Customs facilitation.
Vice versa, Yugoslav TIR approved vehicles will also be able to carry out
international goods transport to foreign countries using the TIR procedure.
The occasion will be marked by a press conference organized
by the Yugoslav Federal Customs Administration with the participation of UNECE
on Friday, 30 November 2001 at 14.00 in Belgrade. Furthermore, a ceremony and
TIR demonstration will take place on 1 December 2001 at 11.00 at the
Yugoslav/Croatian border crossing Batrovci/Lipovac (E70).
"The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is an important
transit country linking South-Eastern Europe with the rest of Europe"
says Mr. Martin Magold, TIR Secretary and Chief of the Border Crossing
Facilitation Section of the UNECE Transport Division. "Since 1992
the UNECE administered TIR Convention has not been applicable in the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia. This has meant that border crossing procedures for
goods entering, transiting or leaving the country are complicated, time
consuming and costly. Yugoslav transporters have faced similar difficulties
abroad. According to information received by the UNECE the impossibility to
transit through Yugoslavia during recent years using the TIR procedure has
typically added around 1,500 euros to the cost of a transport between
South-Eastern and Western Europe."
Speaking about the future, Mr. Magold pointed out that
"with the decision of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to accede on 12
March 2001 to the TIR Convention international road transport and trade will
be able to move efficiently to, from and through this country."
In addition to the legal formalities a number of practical
arrangements have been put in place by the Yugoslav Federal Customs
Administration and private national associations (Chamber of Commerce) in
order for the TIR procedures to enter back into force, in particular the
conclusion of agreements with international insurers, the authorization of
national associations and transport operators in line with the requirements of
the TIR Convention and the training of hundreds of Customs officials and
employees of transport and freight forwarding companies.
In July 2001 the UNECE and TIR secretariats have conducted
a TIR training seminar in Belgrade for senior Customs officials and heads of
regional and local Customs offices. The Yugoslav Federal Customs
Administration has recruited around 1,600 new Customs officers during the last
few months, which need to be trained on all aspects of modern Customs
procedures.
Further information on the TIR Customs transit system is
available at the TIR web site administered by the UNECE and TIR secretariats:
For more information, please contact:
José Capel Ferrer, Director or
Martin M. Magold, TIR Secretary and
Chief, Border Crossing Facilitation Section
Transport Division
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
Palais des Nations
CH – 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Phone: +41(0)22 917 24 00 / 24 53
Fax: +41(0)22 917 00 39
E-mail: [email protected]
- [email protected]
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Background information on the TIR Customs transit system
The TIR Convention, which is presently used by more than
32,000 transport companies in more than 50 countries in Europe, Central Asia
and the Middle East, allows road transport operators to cross borders in
international and transit traffic without major procedures and costs involved.
The TIR system can be used at present for transport from Norway to Iran
(North-South direction) and from Kazakhstan to Portugal (East-West direction).
Thousands of lorries in Europe carry the familiar blue and white TIR plate and
indicate that they are using the TIR Customs transit procedure (more than 2.3
million TIR operations are carried out per year).
Traditionally when goods are in transit or are transported
from one country to another, Customs authorities apply national controls and
procedures to cover duties and taxes at risk, i.e. to avoid that the goods are
sold on the black market without payment of Customs duties, sales taxes and/or
value-added tax upon their importation or transit. These measures vary from
country to country, but usually involve at each border crossing the opening of
the load compartment of the lorry, inspection of the cargo, imposition of
security (guarantee, bond, etc.), the filling-in and processing of national
Customs and transport documents, etc.
The application of the TIR Convention provides for an
internationally recognized and accepted Customs transit regime with an
internationally standardized and secured Customs document (TIR Carnet), an
international guarantee cover in case of irregularities as well as harmonized
Customs procedures limited, in most cases, to a standard visual external
control of the sealed load compartment of the lorry and processing of the TIR
Carnet. Thus, Customs authorities can reduce their manpower to a few
administrative controls while transport operators and traders can make use of
inexpensive, fast and secure border crossing procedures, often with special
channels reserved for TIR operations only.
The TIR Customs transit system is supervised by an
intergovernmental machinery, the TIR Executive Board (TIRExB) and its TIR
secretariat which is located in the UNECE headquarters in Geneva (Transport
Division). More than 32,000 authorized transport companies are registered at
present with the TIRExB and its TIR secretariat, which also ensure regular
exchange of information and intelligence among participating Customs
authorities to avoid misuse of the TIR system by smugglers and organized crime.
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Ref: ECE/TRANS/01/09