IFC Western Balkans Trade Logistics Project

TRADE FACILITATION ON DANUBE AND SAVA RIVERS

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

COUNTRIES OF OPERATION

OBJECTIVES

PARTNERS

February 2012 to June 2014

Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo*, FYR Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia

Reduction of administrative and regulatory bottlenecks (documentation requirements and checks), harmonization of border clearance procedures

Improving the competitiveness of local firms through more efficient (and lower cost) access to markets

Promoting regional integration by facilitating trade in the Western Balkans

Project implemented with EU funding Counterparts: Customs, food, veterinary, (phyto)sanitary, and other authorities involved

in the clearance of goods Close cooperation with private sector (traders, FFs, etc.) Close cooperation with CEFTA, Danube and Sava Commissions, SEETO, SEED

Project Basic Facts

The Relevance of Streamlined Clearance Procedures

Findings related to Danube trade facilitation

Focus - Assistance with simplification of clearance procedures for imports and transit cargo on Danube and other regional inland waterways

Findings:

♦ Intensive inspections and revisionary checks (for composite barges involve multiple trips)

♦ Documents 6 – 10 are required for transit/import/export shipments♦ Risk management is not utilized♦ Poor communication and coordination between country agencies, no

regional cooperation ♦ River information service (RIS) is installed on 80% of vessels that

operate on the Danube in Serbia; ♦ RIS is not utilized at all as a trade facilitation tool – pre arrival

information for customs, agencies, ports, transport and logistics companies.

♦ Provision of data input to RIS is currently optional - new RIS legislation since January 1, 2014 and ERI - January 1, 2015.

Map of the import/transit procedure

Recommendations

♦ Abolishing one revision (e.g. on entry)– for imports revision in the port of

destination– for transit revision while exiting Serbia– bilateral agreements for each BCP

♦ Reduce the number of documents for river trading

♦ Support further development of Mohacs BCP♦ Support the initiative for common entry point

(e.g. in Prahovo for Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania)

♦ Support for RIS

Contact

Nenad Popadic

Consultant

IFC-Western Balkans Trade Logistics Project

Belgrade, Serbia

npopadic@ifc.org

Tel: +381-11-330-8946 Cell: +381-63-633-906