The WCO recently conducted a five-day workshop dedicated to Customs valuation for the Indirect Taxation Authority of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Financial support for the event was provided by the German Customs Cooperation Fund. Twenty four officials representing both headquarters and regional offices took part in the workshop. Among them were representatives of a newly established unit that deals with Customs risk management. The workshop was facilitated by two experts, one from Germany and one from Poland.

Valuation methodology and issues concerning practical application of the WTO Valuation Agreement were covered in the workshop. Special attention was given to the treatment of royalties/licence fees and assists for Customs valuation purposes. Procedures for questioning the declared Customs value under the framework of Article 17 of the WTO Valuation Agreement and Decision 6.1 - Cases where Customs administrations have reasons to doubt the truth or accuracy of the declared value - issued by the Committee on Customs Valuation (CCV) was another topic discussed during the workshop in Banja Luka. Reference was also made to the relevant instruments of the CCV as well as the Technical Committee on Customs Valuation (TCCV) in relation to the topics covered.

Finally, the provision of a recommendation in the WTO Agreement on Trade Facilitation to issue advance rulings for Customs valuation information was presented to the participants.