At the Bregana border crossing, the flag of the European Union was ceremoniously raised, and after midnight, the first vehicle was allowed through under the new regime. Additionally, the sign ‘Customs Administration of the Republic of Croatia’ was removed, symbolically marking Croatia’s entry into the customs union.
Croatia’s entry into the European Union’s customs union also means its entry into a single internal market of 500 million inhabitants, said Finance Minister Slavko Linić at the Bregana border crossing after the symbolic marking of Croatia’s entry into the EU. Our goal is to apply the Union’s customs regulations and enable Croatian entrepreneurs to work effectively in Europe, as well as those from Europe in Croatia, Linić added.
He reminded that from today, the border crossings between Croatia and other EU countries become internal EU border crossings, while the crossings in Bajakovo, Stara Gradiška, and Metković are now at the Union’s external borders. There, according to the Finance Minister, customs supervision and control measures will need to be strengthened.
Croatia’s entry into the customs union was also welcomed by Slovenian Finance Minister Uroš Čufer, Hungarian Minister for National Economy Mihaly Varga, and the Director General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union Heinz Zourek.
From today, customs supervision is abolished at 74 border crossings between Croatia and neighboring EU countries. The freedom of movement for passengers and goods is also established in passenger traffic, which will be monitored at the borders with neighboring EU member states only by the police, while customs procedures are abolished.
