MUTUAL ASSISTANCE Brussels, June 2013 M O N T E N E G R O Negotiating Team for the Accession of Montenegro to the European Union Working Group for Chapter 29 – Customs union MUTUAL ASSISTANCE Brussels, June 2013

AGREEMENTS WITH INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS CUSTOMS UNION Chapter 29: CONTENTS AGREEMENTS WITH INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS INTERNATIONAL BILATERAL AGREEMENTS MUTUAL ASSISTANCE UNDERTAKEN ACTIVITIES IN HARMONIZATION OF LEGISLATION WITH EU ACQUIS M O N T E N E G R O Negotiating Team for the Accession of Montenegro to the European Union Chapter 29: Customs union

AGREEMENTS WITH INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMS UNION Chapter 29: AGREEMENTS WITH INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS Stabilization and Association Agreement between Montenegro and the European Union (Official Gazette of Montenegro 7/07), Protocol 6 of the Agreement (Protocol on mutual administrative assistance in customs matters). Montenegro is a member of the World Customs Organization and therefore represents the contracting party to the Convention Establishing the Customs Co-operation Council Montenegro became a member of the Southeast Europe Cooperative Initiative (SECI, now SELEC) with the Regional center in Bucharest, Romania M O N T E N E G R O Negotiating Team for the Accession of Montenegro to the European Union Chapter 29: Customs union

CUSTOMS UNION Chapter 29: Customs Administration of Montenegro is represented in RILO ECE(Regional intelligence liason offices for central and east Europe). Within RILO, there is a Customs Enforcement Network (CEN), the computer system where all member states enter data on all major seizures Customs administration is exchanging intelligence on transborder smuggling, primarily with neighbouring countries, but also with other countries, international organizations and institutions combatting transborder crime such as OLAF, SELEC, EUROPOL, INTERPOL etc. M O N T E N E G R O Negotiating Team for the Accession of Montenegro to the European Union Chapter 29: Customs union

CUSTOMS UNION Chapter 29: At the session in Madrid in October 2007, the Customs Administration was granted observer status in the MARINFO organization Implemented Systematic electronic data exchange (SEED) on goods and means of transport. The Customs Administration of Montenegro is a signatory to the Agreement on Amendment of and Accession to the Central European Free Trade Agreement – CEFTA 2006. Memoranda of understanding with specific airliners and shipping companies Montenegro was granted the status of observer in CARIN (Camden Assets Recovery Inter-Agency Network) in October 2008. M O N T E N E G R O Negotiating Team for the Accession of Montenegro to the European Union Chapter 29: Customs union

INTERNATIONAL BILATERAL AGREEMENTS CUSTOMS UNION Chapter 29: INTERNATIONAL BILATERAL AGREEMENTS Agreements on cooperation and mutual assistance in customs matters. The Customs Administration of Montenegro has signed 26 bilateral agreements on cooperation and mutual assistance in customs matters with other countries, out of which 12 with the EU countries. Further to the Decision on proclamation of independence of the Republic of Montenegro (Official Gazette of the Republic of Montenegro 36/2006) Montenegro shall apply and adhere to International treaties and agreements that the state union of Serbia and Montenegro was party to and that relate to Montenegro and are in conformity with its legal order. M O N T E N E G R O Negotiating Team for the Accession of Montenegro to the European Union Chapter 29: Customs union

CUSTOMS UNION Chapter 29: Montenegro actively participates within projects of Venice cooperation initiative The Customs Administration of Montenegro participates in implementation of the Regional program of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) for improved governance, justice and security in Southeast Europe 2012 – 2015 Agreements on cooperation in the field of customs operations and intelligence with other Montenegrin institutions. M O N T E N E G R O Negotiating Team for the Accession of Montenegro to the European Union Chapter 29: Customs union

CUSTOMS UNION Chapter 29: MUTUAL ASSISTANCE Legal framework for customs cooperation with other national customs administrations is established in the Customs Law of Montenegro. The Customs Administration cooperates with customs services of other countries on the basis of concluded bilateral agreements on mutual assistance in customs matters. Such agreements represent legal basis for exchange of information between the customs administrations. M O N T E N E G R O Negotiating Team for the Accession of Montenegro to the European Union Chapter 29: Customs union

In reference to the mutual assistance during 2012 we have: CUSTOMS UNION Chapter 29: In reference to the mutual assistance during 2012 we have: exchanged 114 information with international institutions dealing with combatting organized crime and terrorism (OLAF, SELEC, EUROPOL, WCO-RILO) conducted 72 cotrols During the period 2010-2012, we participated in the following 13 international joint customs operations: 9 operations organized by SELEC 1 operation under auspices of WCO 1 operation organized by OLAF 3 operations organized by the Venice Initiative, in cooperation witih OLAF M O N T E N E G R O Negotiating Team for the Accession of Montenegro to the European Union Chapter 29: Customs union

UNDERTAKEN ACTIVITIES IN HARMONIZATION TO THE EU ACQUIS STANDARDS CUSTOMS UNION Chapter 29: UNDERTAKEN ACTIVITIES IN HARMONIZATION TO THE EU ACQUIS STANDARDS Started initiative aimed at widening its powers, in order to meet the preconditions requried for accomplishment of cooperation prescribed by the Convention on mutual assistance in customs matters and cooperation between the customs services (Naples II). The Customs Administration, in cooperation with the DG TAXUD, has drafted technical specification for development of a new ICT strategy, which shall include activities required for development of information systems, which are in accordance with the Council Regulation (EC) No 515/97. M O N T E N E G R O Negotiating Team for the Accession of Montenegro to the European Union Chapter 29: Customs union

QUESTIONS Thank you for your attention! Goran Milonjić Customs Administration goran.milonic@carina.gov.me Thank you for your attention! QUESTIONS