With sponsorship of CCF China, a WCO National Workshop on the modernization of the Customs Laboratories of Bosnia & Herzegovina was held in the Customs' headquarters in Banja Luka from 23 to 26 February 2016.

At the opening of the Workshop, Mr. Zoran Popovic, Director of the Customs Laboratory, highlighted the importance of a modern Customs Laboratory for the classification of many commodities in the Harmonized System. He also emphasized the importance of correct sampling procedures required to arrive at correct and uniform classification of certain commodities in the HS and in the national HS-based Customs tariff. He concluded by thanking the representatives from the WCO Secretariat's Tariff and Trade Affairs Directorate for facilitating the discussions on the modernization of the Customs Laboratory in Bosnia & Herzegovina.

During the Workshop a wide range of topics related to the HS and Customs Laboratories were addressed and the participants were thoroughly informed about classification infrastructure and the fundamental principles of the General Rules and practicalities of HS classification to ensure correct and uniform classification. Participants were also thoroughly informed about several databases and documentation specifically designed for the day to day routine in a Customs Laboratory. The latest classification decisions of the Harmonized System Committee were also presented. Moreover, participants discussed relevant areas of analytic methodology, methods validation, quality assurance and considered the possibilities for the modernization of the Customs Laboratory in Bosnia & Herzegovina in order to meet modern standards. The Customs Laboratory of Bosnia & Herzegovina is a medium size laboratory that will be soon be relocated to a new modern building.

The Workshop was closed by Mr. Zoran Popovic. In his remarks, he thanked the WCO for its contribution to the modernization of Bosnia & Herzegovina Customs. He emphasized again the importance of a Customs Laboratory to arrive at correct and uniform classification of certain commodities in the HS and in the national Customs tariff. He also pointed out that the Customs Laboratory was an important factor for the well-functioning of Bosnia & Herzegovina Customs Administration.