As of 1 December 2001 the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia rejoined the TIR Customs transit system. From this date foreign TIR approved heavy goods vehicles were able to transit to, from and through the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia using the internationally standardized TIR procedure, which provides for efficient transport and Customs facilitation. Vice versa, Yugoslav TIR approved vehicles are now also able to carry out international goods transport to foreign countries using the TIR procedure.
The occasion was marked by a press conference organized by the Yugoslav Federal Customs Administration and chaired by Director Vladan Begovic with the participation of Mr. Poul Hansen of UNECE and TIR secretariats and representatives of the International Road Transport Union (IRU) and the Yugoslav Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Friday, 30 November 2001 in Belgrade. Furthermore, a ceremony and TIR demonstration took place on 1 December 2001 at the Yugoslav/Croatian border crossing Batrovci/Lipovac (E70), where UNECE also took part.
"The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is an important transit country linking South-Eastern Europe with the rest of Europe" says Mr. Martin Magold, TIR Secretary and Chief of the Border Crossing Facilitation Section of the UNECE Transport Division. "Since 1992 the UNECE administered TIR Convention has not been applicable in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. This has meant that border crossing procedures for goods entering, transiting or leaving the country have been complicated, time consuming and costly. Yugoslav transporters have faced similar difficulties abroad. According to information received by the UNECE the impossibility to transit through Yugoslavia during recent years using the TIR procedure has typically added around 1,500 euros to the cost of a transport between South-Eastern and Western Europe."
Speaking about the future, Mr. Magold pointed out that "with the decision of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to accede to the TIR Convention international road transport and trade will be able to move efficiently to, from and through this country."
On 1 December 2001 around 100 international TIR approved vehicles waited at the borders to Yugoslavia for the official re-opening of the TIR system. This number of trucks indicates that the return of Yugoslavia to the TIR system has been long awaited by the transport industry and the situation will benefit the economic development in both Yugoslavia as well as those countries that use the important transit routes through Yugoslavia.
The occasion was marked by a press conference organized by the Yugoslav Federal Customs Administration and chaired by Director Vladan Begovic with the participation of Mr. Poul Hansen of UNECE and TIR secretariats and representatives of the International Road Transport Union (IRU) and the Yugoslav Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Friday, 30 November 2001 in Belgrade. Furthermore, a ceremony and TIR demonstration took place on 1 December 2001 at the Yugoslav/Croatian border crossing Batrovci/Lipovac (E70), where UNECE also took part.
"The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is an important transit country linking South-Eastern Europe with the rest of Europe" says Mr. Martin Magold, TIR Secretary and Chief of the Border Crossing Facilitation Section of the UNECE Transport Division. "Since 1992 the UNECE administered TIR Convention has not been applicable in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. This has meant that border crossing procedures for goods entering, transiting or leaving the country have been complicated, time consuming and costly. Yugoslav transporters have faced similar difficulties abroad. According to information received by the UNECE the impossibility to transit through Yugoslavia during recent years using the TIR procedure has typically added around 1,500 euros to the cost of a transport between South-Eastern and Western Europe."
Speaking about the future, Mr. Magold pointed out that "with the decision of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to accede to the TIR Convention international road transport and trade will be able to move efficiently to, from and through this country."
On 1 December 2001 around 100 international TIR approved vehicles waited at the borders to Yugoslavia for the official re-opening of the TIR system. This number of trucks indicates that the return of Yugoslavia to the TIR system has been long awaited by the transport industry and the situation will benefit the economic development in both Yugoslavia as well as those countries that use the important transit routes through Yugoslavia.