BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 1. The establishment of Trade Facilitation Centers provides an important legal framework for the development of the Middle Corridor, chairman of the Azerbaijani Parliament’s Committee on Economic Policy, Industry, and Entrepreneurship, Azer Amiraslanov said, Trend reports.
He made the remark during the first-reading discussion of a bill amending the Customs Code at today’s plenary session of parliament.
The MP stressed that one of the main objectives of the proposed bill is to expand logistics and transit capabilities:
“In today’s world, Azerbaijan’s geographical location provides a significant strategic advantage. However, this advantage must be supported not only by infrastructure but also by legal and institutional mechanisms. Therefore, the draft simplifies transit procedures, ensures the continuity of the logistics chain, and strengthens the coordination of services with mechanisms such as the Trade Facilitation Center. This creates an important legal framework, in particular, for the development of the Middle Corridor, the effective functioning of the East-West and North-South routes, and serves to enhance our country’s transit potential,” he added.
“Strengthening mechanisms for the enforcement of customs debts, along with improving fiscal discipline, contributes to the fulfillment of obligations to the state budget,” he noted.
The committee chair also noted that initiatives to expand electronic procedures are viewed as progressive, innovative changes in the customs system:
“In this draft, digitalization is not merely a technical issue but a key element of management philosophy. Electronic document management, data exchange, and automated processes, especially the expanded use of electronic declarations, accelerate the customs clearance process, increase transparency, reduce the human factor and corruption risks, and minimize administrative costs, "he added.