Having recognised the importance of inclusiveness and transparency of the negotiation process, the Committee on European Integration is continuing the action of organising public debates devoted to consideration of negotiations chapters, with the aim of drafting high quality negotiation positions.

On Tuesday, 24 April 2014, the Committee on European Integration will organise the Public Debate devoted to Negotiation Chapter 29 - Customs union, in the Blue Room of the Parliament of Montenegro, starting at 10:30 a.m.

Customs union is one of the core stones of European integrations and key component of good functioning of internal European market. Customs union represents a single trading area of 28 European Union member states, in which eternal trade and trade in goods is done without custom formalities, respectively without customs supervision of goods and without payment of customs duties. When it comes to trading relations with third countries, there is a principle that all goods entering this area are subjected to unique rules of control and payment of prescribed duties. Prescribed duties are based on unique customs tariff and jointly harmonised legislation for the application of the tariff, which determines the external policy towards third countries.

Montenegro’s law regulating the field covered by the Negotiation Chapter 29 are the following: Customs Law, Law on Customs Tariff, Law on Customs Service, Law on Copyright and Related Rights, Trademark Law, Patent Law, Law on Protection of Topographies of Semiconductor Products, Law on Indicators of Geographical Origin, Law on Optical Discs, Law on Legal Protection of Industrial Design, Law on Scientific and Research Activity, Law on Protection of Plant Varieties, Law on Obligatory Relations, Law on Civil Procedure, Law on Enforcement and Security, Law on Enforcement of Regulations Governing Protection of Intellectual Property Rights, Law on Culture, Law on Protection of Cultural Heritage, Law on Foreign Current and Capital Operations, Law on Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing, Law on Control of Production and Circulation of Substances that Can Be Used in the Manufacture of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, Law on General Administrative Procedure, Foreign Trade Law and Law on Free Trade and Law on Free Zones.

Applications for participations with personal data should be sent at e-mail: euintegracije@skupstina.me, no later than Tuesday 22 April 2014.

Journalists, cameramen/photo-reporters who do not possess permanent accreditations are to be registered by Tuesday, 24 April 2014, until 9:00 a.m., by e-mail: press@skupstina.me or via fax: 020 245 125.