Customs Administration Achieved First SIENA Communication with Europol

In 2023, the Customs Administration established its first communication with Europol via SIENA (Secure Information Exchange Network Application), marking a significant step in the further development of international operational cooperation in the field under customs jurisdiction. This fulfilled the previously set goal from the Action Plan to meet the final criteria in Chapter 24, which relates to improving international operational cooperation and integrating the Customs Administration into relevant mechanisms for international information exchange. By establishing SIENA communication, the Customs Administration further engages in the system of international operational cooperation with Europol, creating conditions for its gradual involvement, in addition to operational-analytical activities, in development projects led by Europol, such as the J-CUSTOM project and other initiatives bringing together customs services of European countries. This move also represents a significant boost for concrete police-customs operational cooperation, both nationally and internationally, and contributes to the further development of an inter-agency approach in international operational cooperation. The first SIENA communication of the Customs Administration is the result of several months of work at the technical and organizational levels, with the cooperation of all relevant institutions and services that contributed to achieving this important result. The Customs Administration will continue to develop international cooperation and enhance its capacities for information exchange with international partners, aiming for a more effective response to forms of crime within its jurisdiction.