On 18 September 2026, North Macedonia’s Ministry of Finance convened a high-level coordination meeting between the Public Revenue Office (UJP) and the Customs Administration to strengthen oversight of budget realization for the current fiscal year. The session, chaired by Finance Minister Gordana Dimitrieska-Kochoska, forms part of the government’s ongoing fiscal consolidation strategy under the 2026 Budget Law and the Public Revenue Office Act. The meeting addressed critical revenue collection gaps identified in the first half of 2026, with particular focus on VAT compliance, excise duty remittances, and customs duty yields. Participants reviewed real-time data from the newly integrated tax-customs data exchange platform, which enables automated cross-referencing of import declarations with taxpayer VAT returns. The Ministry emphasized the legal obligation under Article 44 of the Customs Law and Article 12 of the Law on Public Revenue Office to share intelligence on high-risk traders and suspicious transaction patterns. This coordination mechanism is designed to support the Medium-Term Fiscal Strategy 2026-2028, which targets a general government deficit below 3% of GDP.
Key Takeaways
- Unified Revenue Monitoring Framework: The Public Revenue Office and Customs Administration will implement a joint weekly dashboard tracking key performance indicators including VAT gap reduction, customs clearance times, and audit yield per inspector. This framework operationalizes the inter-agency protocol signed in March 2026.
- Risk-Based Customs Controls: Customs will deploy enhanced risk analytics using the EU’s Customs Risk Management System (CRMS) standards, targeting undervaluation, misclassification, and origin fraud. The Ministry allocated MKD 120 million for IT upgrades to support automated selectivity controls by Q1 2027.
- Accelerated Dispute Resolution: A new fast-track procedure for resolving customs valuation disputes will be piloted, reducing average resolution time from 90 to 30 days. This aligns with OECD Tax Administration Comparative Information Series recommendations and supports the country’s EU accession negotiation Chapter 29 (Customs Union).
Disclaimer: This article is compiled and summarized by the AI based on publicly available information and is for general information purposes only. It does not constitute any form of formal tax advice, legal opinion, or basis for performance. Please consult a qualified professional tax advisor or legal counsel for tax advice.
Source: Read Official Announcement