site.btaGovernment Approves Draft Memorandum on Electronic Customs Data Exchange between Bulgaria and Serbia

The Council of Ministers approved a draft Memorandum of Understanding regarding the electronic exchange of data between the Customs Agency of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Customs Administration under the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Serbia.

Once the document is signed, the customs authorities of both countries will be able to electronically exchange data on goods transported by freight road vehicles in road traffic, including information on empty trucks, through the Excise Data Exchange System (SEED). Coordination between institutions involved in border control will be improved through the joint use of real-time data for risk analysis and prioritized processing of certain goods (e.g., perishable items, humanitarian shipments, etc.), contributing to strengthening the fight against customs fraud. Customs procedures will be accelerated, and the crossing of regularly declared goods at the border will be facilitated.

The memorandum will allow the parties to take measures to ease traffic along Green Lanes. This initiative of the European Commission ensures the rapid passage of priority goods through the 11 busiest checkpoints between the Western Balkan countries and their neighboring EU member states (Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Hungary, and Croatia).