Government of the Republic of Macedonia Secretariat for European Affairs Subcommittee on Trade,...

Government of the Republic of MacedoniaSecretariat for European Affairs

Subcommittee on Trade, Industry, Customs and Taxation 3rd meeting 10 May 2007

8. Customs

Legislative alignment and Administrative capacity



DIRECTIONS

• National Plan for Adoption of the Acquis• Implementation of Harmonized Customs

Legislation• Client-oriented approach• Fight against corruption• Cooperation with business community



LEGISLATIVE ALIGNMENT

• Fully harmonised customs legislation since

• Focus on activities for improvement of implementation– operational guidelines, working instructions– trainings, seminars,– Internal controls etc.

Janary 2006



FURTHER HARMONIZATION OF LEGISLATION

• Draft Law Amendments on Customs Law,• Authorized Economic Operator,• Annulment and Revocation of Decisions• Person with higher (financial) Risk• Customs Offences



FURTHER HARMONIZATION OF LEGISLATION

• Amendments of Regulation for Implementation of Customs Law– Simplification and possibilities for lower

amount of guarantee for inward processing and customs warehouses

• Annual regular harmonization with EU –Combine Nomenclature and WTO obligation in Regulation for Customs Tariffs



FURTHER HARMONIZATION FEES and TAXES

• New Draft of Regulation for Customs fees in accordance with EU Acquis. Abolishment of:– € 40 fee on binding tariff/origin information,– € 65 fee for laboratory testing

• Draft Amendments for Law on Administrative Taxes. Abolishment of – € 1000, tax per a approval of customs warehouse,– € 500, tax per a approval of inward processing,– € 500, tax per a approval of simplified procedure



ADMINISTRATIVE CAPACITY Enforcement of the Regulations

• New Instruction for transit

• Project “Laufzettel” on corridor X

• Functional Analysis on the circulation of goods -the Information of the need for preparation of Single Window System and One Stop Shop



ADMINISTRATIVE CAPACITY Preventing Illegal Trade of goods and Protection of IPR

• International Bids for procurement of 4 X-ray scanners

• Memorandums on cooperation with other persecution authorities and agencies nationally and internationally

• Information for different irregularities on the 24 hours Open Telephone Line 197

• Continuous upgrading of the risk analysis system and prepared selection criteria

• Combating organized crime through its Mobile Teams



ADMINISTRATIVE CAPACITYPreventing Illegal Trade of goods and Protection of IPR

• Seizures (Cigarettes, Narcotics, Currency)– 486,705 kg cocaine, the biggest amount ever seized

• Investigation tasks– 87 criminal charges and 835 penalty charges – 2006– 32 criminal charges and 396 penalty charges - 2007

• Fight against the abuse of intellectual property rights– Registered requests 43-2006 / 71-2007 – Recorded actions 46-2006 / 66-2007– Destroyed articles of counterfeited goods 44.500-

2006/510.000-2007



ADMINISTRATIVE CAPACITY Information and Communication Technology

• Strategy on Development of the IT system – adopted May 2006

• Initial preparation for design the System for centralized-electronic administration of activities

• Observation of EU counties IT systems – AIDA (Italy)• Initiative for accession to the Convention on Common

Transit Procedure

• New transit system for exchange of electronic messages was initiated



ADMINISTRATIVE CAPACITY Information and Communication Technology

• Several common projects related to the “e-Government” – USAID• application for simplified procedures; application for

binding tariff information and management of samples; application for TIR certificates;

• the System for control of goods with dual use and weapons (TRACER) ;

• TTFSE II Project initiated creation of Information Communication System for railway traffic data

• “IT awareness” Mission



FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION

• Strategy on Integrity and corruption combat prepared

• Staffing of Sector for professional responsibility increased – since October 2006 from 6 to 10 officers

May 2006 – April 2007 activities

• 30 internal inspections in different organisational units ( 8 official reports on working activities violating regulations and 16 minor irregularities

• 150 internal investigations complaints for inappropriate performance of the customs procedures and abuse of authority (38 official information reporting liability of customs officers )



FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION

• 2006 - 10 disciplinary measures: 8 finished with reduction of the salary, 1 official was dismissed and one suspended

• 2007 – 39 disciplinary procedures initiated:

– 7 cases resulted with dismissal

– 10 with 15% reduction of salary

– 12 with suspension

• 11 decisions for open a judicial enquiry and in 10 cases they resulted in detention pending trial.



Cooperation with the trade community

• Monthly meetings with Customs-Forwarder Committee

• Active cooperation with the Textile Cluster

• Cooperation with association of the transporters and other business associations

• Import customs clearing at the Bogorodica Border Crossing Point



TRAINING SYSTEM

• Strategy for Trainings and Professional Formation of the customs officers adopted

• 1.829 sessions of training of the employees

• 135 trainings held included 1.509 participants from the Customs Administration

• 5 workshops were realized included 175 participants for external subjects

• CAFAO-Mac; Bilateral Assistance Kingdom of Netherlands; French Republic etc.

• Engagement of an external consultant



International activities• cooperation with the UNMIK Customs Service • Initiation of cooperation with Customs of India, signed

Agreement on cooperation in customs matters with Government of Finland

• Regional CARDS Project • Program for Export Control and Border Security,

supported by the US Government Other activities

• Operative Instruction on the Manner and Procedure for Public Procurements

• Operative Instruction on verification of the working capacities and procedures for employment



ORIGIN OF GOODS

• Problems facing with non participation of the Republic of Macedonia in the system of PEM accumulation

• Economic aspects of the trade with the European Union

• Technical and Legal requirements

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