A meeting was held at the Ministry of Finance with representatives from the Common Transit Convention to discuss the successful implementation of the New Computerized Transit System (NCTS), which Montenegro has been using since October 2024, and the prospects of Montenegro joining the Convention, according to a statement from the Ministry led by Novica Vuković.
The meeting, as stated by the Ministry of Finance, was part of a pre-monitoring mission by the European Commission, led by Michael Rathje, with representatives from Convention member countries, including Hungary, France, Italy, Austria, the Czech Republic and Turkey.
On behalf of the Ministry of Finance, State Secretary Jovana Nišavić addressed the attendees, thanking them for the working visit and their expert support. She provided an update on the steps taken towards Montenegro’s accession to the Convention, emphasizing that all instructions had been followed, formalities simplified, and efforts made towards full alignment of the legislation, better organization of the customs service, compatibility of IT solutions, and readiness of the business community for future accession to the Convention.
State Secretary Bojana Bošković highlighted that there is political will in the Montenegrin government for this important task under Chapter 29 of the negotiations. She emphasized that the process will continue with full commitment to meeting all criteria necessary for a more efficient customs system and accession to the common transit procedure.
The mission’s conclusions were positive, with Mr. Rathje praising Montenegro’s progress in the short period since the system’s implementation and the Ministry of Finance’s and Customs Administration’s efforts to address all recommendations. He also expressed hope that, if this momentum continues, conditions will be met for Montenegro to join the Convention in 2025.
The meeting at the Ministry of Finance was preceded by several meetings this week with the leadership of the Customs Administration, headed by Acting Director Maja Vučinić, as well as visits to customs offices to review field operations.
The NCTS is a free transit system based on the electronic submission of transit declarations and the electronic exchange of data between the customs authorities of the Convention’s signatories. The Convention’s members include the EU, EFTA, the UK, Turkey, Serbia, North Macedonia and Ukraine. Joining this system will allow Montenegro to speed up the flow of goods, reduce time spent on customs procedures, and cut costs for businesses. For Montenegro’s customs system, this means the unification of customs procedures and improved communication and cooperation with various national customs administrations involved in the transit procedure. Expected accession to the Common Transit Convention is a key condition for Montenegro’s EU membership and an important step in the accession process, as explained by the Ministry of Finance.
