The Podravka food company, through a licence issued by the Customs Authority of the Republic of Croatia, and in line with the Decree on the Implementation of the Law on Customs, has become an authorised recipient in import customs procedures in the territory covered by the Koprivnica Customs Office. This gives Podravka the right to simplify import procedures and submit a bill of entry to the relevant Customs Office at a later stage by declaring goods on the basis of bookkeeping entries.

This, in fact, means that all the goods imported by the company – the authorised recipient – and following the immediate submission of a transit entry at the border, are directly delivered to the premises of the authorised recipient which subsequently carries out all further formalities with the competent customs office. The authorised recipient itself can also proceed with the removal of the customs seal unless the competent customs house, within one hour of receipt of the advice of delivery, notifies the licence beneficiary that it will carry out the inspection of goods.

In this way, procedures of import customs clearance are simplified for Podravka, the time needed for customs clearance is shortened and the flow of goods is increased, thus lowering transport costs, demurrage, warehouse charges and delivery services. At the same time, the utilisation level of transport capacities is consequently increased.

Besides Podravka, the status of authorised recipient in import customs procedures has up to now been awarded to another eleven companies. The status of authorised recipient can be requested by companies that possess highly qualified personnel who can implement the procedure (staff who are authorised to carry out international forwarding tasks), that have never seriously violated any customs regulations, and that possess clear records of import and export deliveries, thus enabling the competent customs house to supervise the procedure with ease.