The Central Customs Laboratory
The Central Customs laboratory is a directorate from the specialized administration of the Central Customs Directorate of the National Customs Agency.
The Central Customs Laboratory was created and started its activity in 1998.
At the end of 1999 a regional customs laboratory with the Regional Customs Directorate - Rousse was created.
In 2006 a regional customs laboratory with the Regional Customs Directorate - Plovdiv was also created.
The three laboratories are equipped with the most sophisticated appliances, delivered within the frames of three Phare projects at the total value of 3 000 000 ?.
The activities of the Central Customs Laboratory are regulated in Art. 23 of the Implementing Provisions of the National Customs Agency:
- investigates, analyses and identifies goods for the purposes of the customs surveillance and control;
- investigates, analyses and identifies goods subject to taxation with excise;
- investigates, analyses and identifies goods, for which are applied the measures of the Common Agriculture Policy and of the Common Fisherman's policy of the European Union;
- investigates, analyses and identifies goods for the needs of their classification in the nomenclature of the Customs tariff;
- investigates, analyses and identifies goods which are subject of special measures, including non-tariff ones, pursuant to the acting legislation;
- organizes, controls, coordinates and reports the activity of the regional customs laboratories;
- collects, processes, systematizes and archives documents and specialized scientific - technical information related to the subject of activity;
- adopts, develops and introduces standard, new, modified or alternative research methods;
- renders expert scientific-technical assistance to the customs administration;
- collaborates with Bulgarian and foreign laboratories, organizations, physical or juridical persons connected with the subject of activity;
- produces and issues, upon request of the customs offices, technical information on dangerous and harmful materials and products;
- runs methodological management and supports the customs offices in the creation of order for sampling by the customs authorities.