Individual Corruption

According to Transparency International's Global Corruption Barometer 2005, Serbian households consider the customs services to be highly corrupt.

Business Corruption

According to the US Embassy in Serbia International Narcotics Control Strategy 2007 Serbia is used as a transit point for the transfer of narcotics and the country continues to be a significant black market for smuggled goods.

The administrative burden of regulations and certificates is very high for potential importers, contributing to an environment in which corruption flourishes. Exporters state that they consider customs and trade regulations to be a particular obstacle to doing business in the country compared to regulation in general.

Political Corruption

According to CMI Corruption in Serbia 2007, during a police action ordered by the Special Prosecutor for Organised Crime in 2007, 15 people were arrested for smuggling crude oil derivates into Serbia. False declarations were made in order to avoid excise duties. The derivates were then actually sold on the black market to petrol stations. The damage to the state budget through this scheme is estimated to be approximately EUR 10 million. Among the arrested were a member of the internal control department of the tax administration, four inspectors of the Republic Market Inspectorate and a retired head of the inspectorate, now member of the executive board of one of the private companies involved in the scam.

According to the US Department of State 2008, 11 customs officers and 9 company owners were charged with corruption in 2006 for defrauding the state of some EUR 5 million. They were detained on charges of bribery, abuse of office and smuggling by the use of forged documents on transit of trucks and trailers from Serbia into Bosnia and Herzegovina. The 20 people were reportedly members of a criminal organisation called the 'Customs Mafia', involving another criminal group. The two groups were charged with verifying false exports of goods to Bosnia and Herzegovina, but the merchandise was kept in Serbia and sold on the black market.

Frequency

The World Bank & IFC: Doing Business 2011:
- It requires 6 documents and takes 12 days to export a standard shipment of goods at a cost of USD 1,398 per container.

- It requires 6 documents and takes 14 days to import a standard shipment of goods at a cost of USD 1,559 per container.

World Economic Forum: The Global Competitiveness Report 2010-2011:
- Business executives give the efficiency of customs procedures (formalities regulating the entry and exit of merchandise) in Serbia a score of 3.6 on a 7-point scale (1 being 'extremely inefficient' and 7 'extremely efficient').

The World Bank & IFC: Enterprise Surveys 2009:
- 9% of companies surveyed expect to give gifts to obtain an import licence.

EBRD & World Bank: BEEPS Serbia 2008:
- 35% of the companies surveyed state that customs regulations are a problem for doing business in Serbia.

- 9% of companies claim that bribery is frequent in dealing with customs.