Customs scanning, illegal. UN: “Government must remove it”

The Economic Committee for Europe at the UN said that this fee is against the law.

“The fee is paid even when the shipment is not scanned, even when the customs has no scanners at all. This is unacceptable. It creates an effective tax that is not based on law. Hence, it should be removed.

The government confirmed the report, but the Ministry of Finances said for Top Channel that the government is unable to cancel the fee, since it would penalize Albania with a 300 million USD cost at the Arbitration Court.

The concession started in 2011, when the Democratic Party government passed an 8-point bonus for Rapiscan. This company was later declared winner of a tender, and in April 2013, when the electoral campaign had started, the Parliament passed the concession.

The agreement gives the company 39 EUR for every customs declaration. After the elections, the new government tried to cancel the agreement, but Rapiscan sued Albania at the Arbitration Court, asking 350 million USD of compensation. After the lawsuit, the government opened the negotiations with the company, through which the  agreement was reviewed and the fee was reduced at 22 EUR per declaration.

Even after this review, businesses complain that the concession has increased costs by damaging fair competition.

Top Channel