On 11 and 12 June 2008 the 6th Steering Committee Meeting of the Customs Twinning project  (2005 - 2009)   between the Macedonian and Dutch Customs organisations  took place in Ohrid.  During this meeting the following was concluded by the participants:

"The Macedonian Customs Administration has accomplished impressive results in its work, not only in term of revenue collection but also in implementation of the gained knowledge from the intensive co-operation with our administration. In the coming period the co-operation will be focused in the area of dual use goods which is gaining high importance in international customs work", said Mr. Hans van Lanen, member of the Management Team, Dutch Customs North.

"We are pleased with the results that have been accomplished in improving the work and strengthening the capacities of the customs administration on important customs areas , as proven in the progress report of the EC. We hope that the Customs Administration will continue with the pace of reforms , relevant for EU integration (Chapter 29 of the acquis)  and that the co-operation with the Dutch customs will remain intensive in the coming period as well", said Mr. Govert Visser, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Expressing his satisfaction with the results accomplished by the twinning project to date, the Director  General of the Macedonian Customs Administration, Mr. Vanco Kargov, said that an important contribution to the strengthening of the capacitates of the Customs Administration in both trade facilitation and fight against illegal trade has been made. "In the last six months special emphasis was put on strengthening the control and audit function of the customs, the further implementation of simplified customs procedures, and improvement of administrative capacity  on customs valuation and origin", said Kargov.