Income from import taxes amounted to 255.6bn RSD

- The CEO of the Customs Administration of the Ministry of Finance of Serbia, Predrag Petronijević, announced yesterday (March 9, 2010) that Serbia's incomes from import taxes in 2009 amounted to 255.6bn RSD, 15% less than in 2008 - it is stated on the website of the Government of Serbia.

At the press conference, at which the results of the work of the Customs Administration in 2009 were presented, Petronijević specified that there were over 11,269 customs violations, that the trafficking of nearly 100 kg of drugs was prevented and 250,000 liters of oil confiscated, as well as a big quantity of cigarettes and certain number of pieces of art.

He pointed out that the priorities of the Customs Administration in 2010 were to procure and apply the state-of-the-arts equipment and develop information technologies, as well as to further improve relations with the business community and fight the corruption.

The CEO of the Customs Administration pointed out that that administration had signed the contract on purchase of 11 modern scanners from China, which should be delivered in mid-2010.

According to his words, the value of scanners is 30m USD and they will enable faster and safer customs clearing, with better control of goods.

The Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Commission in Serbia, Adriano Martins, reminded that the membership in European Union was Serbia's strategic orientation and pointed out that that meant that Serbia should both accept European values and put the laws in whole series of fields, including customs, legislation and security, in effect.

- The concept of modern customs administration in EU is twofold. On one side, that concept concerns correct application of customs duties, quicker flow of goods and people across the border, while, on the other hand, it concerns the prevention and fight against all illegal cross-border activities - Martins pointed out.

He said that that can be achieved only through efficient cooperation between the customs, the police and the judicial system.

Martins reminded that EU had invested over 4m EUR in professional and technological improvement of the customs service in Serbia to the date and confirmed that it would keep working on that.