Strengthening the enforcement capacity of Customs Administration of Serbia

 

The project aims to support and build up the capacity of the Serbian Customs Administration through improved specialized training as well as capacity and institution building, in order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of border control systems such as the means of preventing and combating smuggling, counterfeiting, drug trafficking and other forms of crime.

Strengthening the enforcement capacity of the Customs Administration of Serbia will have a direct impact on the prevention and combating of all forms of illegal activities in the Republic of Serbia and cross-border. Due to the fact that Serbia has a very sensitive geopolitical position and represents a transit route for smuggling different types of goods and persons towards Europe, the project realization will have a comparable impact on the EU. It will also strongly contribute to Serbia's commitments under the Stabilization and Association Agreement, and to its integration into the EU.

Delivery of specialized training in six thematic areas (anti-smuggling, customs control on waterways, customs investigations, intelligence, intellectual property rights and risk analysis) will contribute to improved capacity of the Serbian Customs Enforcement Division and to the attainment of the EC objective of bringing existing national mechanisms into compliance with EU standards and best practices.