The territory of Neum (‘Neum Corridor’) is a place where the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH) reaches the Adriatic coast, thus separating the area of Dubrovnik (Croatia/Union) from the rest of the territory of Croatia/Union.
In accordance with the Union customs regulations, the goods brought into or taken out of the customs territory of the Union are subject to customs controls which comprise of customs formalities and customs security checks. The same applies to goods transported via the Neum Corridor to the area of Dubrovnik and to goods transported from the area of Dubrovnik to the rest of the territory of Croatia/Union. The customs controls of goods transported via the Neum Corridor are carried out at the border crossings Klek and Zaton Doli.
Passenger traffic
Goods in personal luggage of passengers (personal effects and other non-commercial goods) travelling through the Neum Corridor can be declared to customs orally.
Movement of commercial goods
The scope of customs controls of commercial goods moving via Neum Corridor depend on the customs status of the goods, the type of goods and its value. The customs status of the goods implies the designation of goods as
Union goods and
Non-Union goods.
Union goods are goods entirely obtained in the customs territory of the Union (EU27) under the conditions of Article 5 paragraph 23 of the Union Customs Code, goods imported from countries or territories that are not part of the customs territory of the Union and released for free circulation, and goods obtained or manufactured in the customs territory of the Union from the aforementioned goods.
Non-Union goods mean all goods other than those specified in the previous paragraph.
Movement of non-Union goods
Safety and security measures:
In order to move non-Union goods via Neum Corridor, the declarant is obliged to lodge in advance safety and security data set to competent customs office in the form of exit summary declaration (EXS) required for goods prior to their exit and entry summary declaration (ENS) required for goods upon their re-entry in the customs territory of the Union. Details on lodgement of EXS/ENS can be found below.
Customs procedures:
When non-Union goods are moved in external transit procedure (T1) it shall apply to goods passing through a Neum Corridor if carriage is effected under cover of a single transport document drawn up in the customs territory of the Union and the operation of the T1 procedure shall be suspended while the goods are outside the customs territory of the Union (Neum Corridor).
Movement of Union goods
Safety and security measures:
Pursuant to Council Regulation (EU) No 479/2013 of 13 May 2013 on the waiver from the requirement to lodge entry and exit summary declarations (ENS/EXS) for Union goods that are moved across the Neum corridor, a waiver is provided from the obligation to lodge entry and exit summary declarations for Union goods moved across the Neum Corridor.
The waiver shall apply where the following conditions are met:
(a) the total value of each consignment of Union goods moved across the Neum Corridor does not exceed 15.000 EUR or its equivalency in local currency (HRK);
(b) the goods are accompanied by invoices or transport documents which:
(i) include at least the particulars referred to in the first subparagraph of Article 126(2) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2446;
(ii) are endorsed with official markings by the customs authorities upon exit;
(iii) are presented for verification to the customs authorities upon re-entry.
If the total value of each consignment of Union goods exceeds EUR 15.000 EUR, the carrier (or the person authorised) is obliged to lodge entry and exit summary declarations (ENS/EXS) for Union goods that are moved across the Neum Corridor. Based on the lodged EXS the customs office will perform risk analysis and customs security checks on both exit and re-entry of the territory of Croatia/Union.
The EXS/ENS are lodged electronically by using the customs IT systems ECS - Export Control System (for EXS) and ICS – Import Control System (for ENS). The carrier is obliged to present MRN numbers of EXS/ENS to customs at the point of exit from or re-entry into the Croatia/Union.
Proof of Union status and customs procedures:
As a general rule, Union goods lose that status where they are taken out of the customs territory of the Union, insofar as the rules on internal transit do not apply (T2) or, in case of Union goods leaving the customs territory of the Union temporarily, goods shall keep their customs status as Union goods only if that status is established under certain conditions and by means laid down in the customs legislation (proof of Union status documents). The same applies to movement of Union goods via the Neum Corridor.
In order to prove customs status of Union goods, the Union goods should be moving across the Neum Corridor:
a) by using the internal transit procedure (T2) if the carriage across third country/countries is effected under cover of a single transport document drawn up in the territory of a Union/Contracting Party of the Common Transit Convention and the operation of that procedure is suspended in the territory of the third country. According to Article 227 (2) (a) of the Union Customs Code, the T2 procedure should not be used if transit route does not include any of the common transit countries. Please note that BIH is not a common transit country.
b) accompanied by other proof of Union status documents such as T2L document, invoice, single transport contract and other documents prescribed by Union customs legislation as proofs of customs status.
In case of proof of Union status us being used the carrier shall present the goods and e.g. the T2L document to the customs office at border crossing of exit from the Union. The customs officer shall record the consignment, determine time limit within which the movement of Union goods across the Neum Corridor must be completed, where they deem it necessary, seal the space containing the goods or each individual package of goods, enter the number and designations of the seal on the T2L document and release the the goods.
Upon re-entry, the carrier is obliged to present a T2L document and goods to the customs office of re-entry into the Croatia/Union. The customs officer shall check the seals (if any), the documents and goods (if they deem it necessary), keep the T2L document and then release the goods.
Products of animal origin
Products of animal origin (meat and fish products and products of animal origin intended for human consumption, animal feeding, for pharmaceutical use, for industrial use or use in farming) may be moved through Neum territory when applying prescribed customs procedures and measures and provided that they are transported in vehicles that can be efficiently sealed. The vehicles will be sealed by customs officers at the location where they temporarily leave the customs territory. Ships which cannot be effectively sealed will not be allowed to leave the customs territory of the Republic of Croatia (Union).
Live animals
Transport of live animals through the Neum territory is not permitted.
Exceptionally, when passing through the Neum territory, passengers can transport up to 5 pets (dogs, cats, domesticated ferrets) provided that the pets have implanted chips and documents confirming their status of pets.
