EUROPEAN COMMISSION CUSTOMS REGIME

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000266

SIPDIS


DEPT PASS TO USTR FOR MARK MOWREY, MATT ROHDE, TED POSNER
AND USTR BRUSSELS FOR CHRIS WILSON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD EU EFIN LO WTO USTR
SUBJECT: EUROPEAN COMMISSION CUSTOMS REGIME

REF: SECSTATE 44705


1. THE FOLLOWING IS POST'S RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS RAISED IN
REFTEL.


2. SLOVAKIA'S CUSTOMS LEGISLATION IS IN FULL COMPLIANCE
WITH EU LEGISLATION EXCEPT FOR SOME PROVISIONS ON DRUG
PRECURSORS. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NON-ALIGNED PROVISIONS
WILL TAKE PLACE UPON ACCESSION, MAY 1 WHEN THE EUROPEAN
COMMISSION (EC) CUSTOMS LEGISLATION, INCLUDING THE EUROPEAN
CUSTOMS CODEX, BECOMES DIRECTLY APPLICABLE. SLOVAKIA'S
COMMERCIAL CUSTOMS CONTROLS ON THE BORDERS WITH AUSTRIA, THE
CZECH REPUBLIC, POLAND AND HUNGARY WILL CEASE ON THE NIGHT
OF APRIL 30-MAY 1. THIS WILL LEAVE SLOVAKIA WITH ONLY A 70-
KILOMETER BORDER WITH UKRAINE AS AN ETERNAL BORDER OF THE
EU. ALL GOODS IMPORTED TO SLOVAKIA FROM ANY EU MEMBER STATE
AFTER THE COUNTRY'S ACCESSION TO THE EU ON MAY 1 WILL NOT BE
SUBJECT TO CUSTOMS PROCEDURES. ALL GOODS ENTERING SLOVAKIA
FROM OUTSIDE THE EU, INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES, WILL BE
SUBJECT TO PROCEDURES AS DEFINED BY THE EC'S CUSTOM REGIME.

WEISER

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