Report from the Commission to the Council on the application of the (EU) Regulation No 479/2013 of 13 May 2013 on the waiver from the requirement to submit entry and exit summary declarations for Union goods that are moved across the Neum corridor

The Neum corridor is a part of the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina which extends to the Adriatic Sea, splitting the Croatian mainland into two parts. It is approximately 9 km long. The road that passes through the Neum corridor has two border-crossing points. Due to the particular situation of this area, special arrangements for the passage of consignments of products of animal origin through the Neum corridor allow such goods to pass if the vehicle is sealed.

Considering its geographical situation and the short stretch of the road on the Neum corridor, full application of EU law requiring entry/exit summary declarations to be lodged for consignments crossing this corridor would not only have been technically difficult to implement but would in all likelihood have resulted in serious disruption to commercial and passenger traffic in the area.

Council Regulation (EU) No 479/2013 of 13 May 2013 (the Neum Regulation) was adopted on the basis of Article 43 of the Act of Accession of the Republic of Croatia to the EU. It lays down a special regime regarding the obligation to lodge entry/exit summary declarations for consignments crossing the Neum corridor by way of derogation from certain provisions of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2913/92 establishing the Community Customs Code (CC) and of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2454/93 laying down provisions for the implementation of the Community Customs Code (CCIP).

Pursuant to Article 6 of the Neum Regulation the Republic of Croatia committed to monitor rigorously its application and to inform the European Commission by March 2014 of any irregularities found and of the measures subsequently taken to remedy them. Under Article 7, within two years of the Regulation's entry into force the Commission was to submit a report to the Council of the EU providing an assessment of its application.

This report provides that assessment. It gives an overview of the economic and geographical context and sets out the legal framework. It then provides a general assessment of implementation, an assessment of whether specific provisions have been enforced, and an assessment of the suitability of the resources and capabilities required and made available. The report is based on the data periodically provided by the Croatian customs administration, on a special monitoring visit performed on 28th November 2014 and on subsequent dialogue with the Croatian customs administration upon the finalisation of the mission report.