Welcome to the EULEX Customs Component!

Kosovo Customs is a young administration which has many plans for the future, but it is already an essential government department collecting 70% of government revenue. Like other Western Balkan Customs Services, its priority is to build an effective service that goes hand in hand with the EU perspective.

In December 2008, the EULEX Mission was established with responsibility for offering Monitoring, Mentoring and Advisory (MMA) support to our colleagues in Kosovo Customs (KC) to help them to achieve their objectives. All of the EULEX staff working within the Customs Component (CC) have a comprehensive knowledge of EU customs standards and are striving to share this experience with their Kosovo Customs colleagues. I joined the Mission in January 2011 and have been able to establish that real progress has been made aligning procedures with EU practices and standards. At present the

EULEX Customs Component has 76 international and 39 national staff.
EULEX has a number of mobile teams working with the Kosovo Customs Flexible Anti-Smuggling Teams (FASTs) at Kosovo’s Border Crossing Points (BCPs) and terminals. Significant changes took place in November 2010 to facilitate a closer working partnership between the mobile teams and their KC colleagues. The mobile teams were decentralised away from Pristina by the opening of 2 new bases in Prizren and Pejë/Peć with a third opening in Mitrovicë/Mitrovica. This enhancement has led to a more constructive presence in the field allowing for a much greater level of support for KC.

In the north of Kosovo, EULEX Customs has been present at Gates 1 and 31 since the start of the Mission. From February 2009, the Mission has been working strongly towards enhancing controls at both the gates. From the EULEX perspective, we feel that it is vital to protect society against a whole range of prohibited and restricted goods likely to endanger and harm the population at large.

On the macro level, global trade plays a key role in the nation’s economy, and an effective Customs Service has a crucial role to play. Firstly, it must facilitate legitimate trade to support a sound economy, and secondly it must provide effective law enforcement to detect and prevent the illegal trade of prohibited and restricted goods. Combating illegal trade, in cooperation with other law enforcement agencies and other organisations providing technical assistance, also contributes to the fight against organised crime and terrorism, and helps to protect Intellectual Property Rights.

In summary, I would emphasise that Kosovo Customs is in the ‘drivers seat’ and that the EULEX CC is there primarily for MMA support, and only exercises customs executive responsibilities when required. My team and I are dedicated towards assisting Kosovo Customs in its progress towards sustainability and accountability. We hope to help them develop further and achieve an effective multi-ethnic customs service – free from political interference and fully compatible with internationally recognised standards and European best practices.

Michael Marsden Head of Customs Component