Bosnia_and_Herzegovina_Join_ATA

Bosnia and Herzegovina Join the ATA Carnet system

New York, N.Y., April 11, 2011 – Starting April 18^th Bosnia and Herzegovina will begin accepting ATA Carnets for duty-free, tax-free temporary imports, according to the United States Council for International Business (USCIB), which administers and guarantees Carnets in the United States.

This is an important achievement for the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) as Bosnia and Herzegovina featured among the top 10 priority target countries identified by the network of world ATA Carnet organizations.

Mostar the second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina

ATA Carnets are merchandise passports that permit the duty-free, tax-free export of goods. In 2009, the most recent year for which worldwide figures are available, over 150,000 Carnets were issued, covering goods worth more than $17 billion (U.S.). Prior to the Bosnia’s decision, Moldova, Macao and UAE were the latest territories to join the worldwide system, which is overseen by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the World Customs Organization.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a very significant importer of US medical equipment and agricultural machinery, as well as military apparel and footwear. “Bosnia’s decision to accept Carnets and become the 70^th member further solidifies their use in southeastern Europe,” according to Cynthia Duncan, USCIB’s senior vice president for Carnet operations. “Among the nations of former Yugoslavia, only Kosovo remains outside the system.”

Exporters and business travelers interested in learning more about Bosnia and Herzegovina’s acceptance of Carnets can visit our Bosnia and Herzegovina page on our website.

Contact:

Cynthia Duncan, SVP Carnet Operations, USCIB

(212) 703-5079 or cduncan@uscib.org

More on USCIB’s ATA Carnet Export Service

April 11^th, 2011