BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 29. The customs administrations of Iran and Azerbaijan have reached an agreement on increasing cooperation in order to simplify foreign trade, Trend reports via Iranian Customs Administration.
Recently (December 28), an extended meeting of Azerbaijani and Iranian customs officials was held at the Astara Customs Office of Azerbaijan. The meeting noted the continuation of cooperation, improvement of customs processes, realization of coordination for the exchange of information, and simplification of trade between the two countries.
The meeting, chaired by Mourtaza Khudsiani, Director General of the International Cooperation Department of the Iranian Customs Administration, and Bahruz Guliyev, First Deputy Chairman of the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan, reached an 11-point agreement between the Iranian and Azerbaijani customs. This agreement will be implemented by the border customs of the two countries after the final signatures.
The signing of agreements on mutual assistance and cooperation in customs matters between the two states and maximizing cooperation in view of cooperation documents signed between the customs of the two sides, increasing the number of trucks waiting for customs, and agreements on simplification of border crossing were noted.
Taking into account the emerged problem of electronic exchange of information, the change of the customs system platform by the Iranian side, as well as the presentation of employees of the technological department of Iranian customs, it was proposed to the Azerbaijani side to announce its technology employees, create necessary conditions for electronic exchange of information, and constantly hold virtual meetings, if necessary with the participation of representatives of international customs departments with coordination of meetings.
The Azerbaijani side agreed to the Iranian side's proposal to allow buses and passengers to pass through the Bileh Savar border between the two countries in order to ensure the welfare of passengers.
The parties agreed that the number of daily truck admissions would be maximized.
The Iranian side suggested that cargoes should be transported in containers in order to facilitate and speed up the delivery of goods towards the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.
Moreover, it was agreed that the directors at the two borders should inform the opposite side on a daily basis of the number of waiting trucks. This figure will determine the minimum number of trucks to be accepted by each customs office.
The Iranian side suggested that the Azerbaijani side should not return trucks due to problems such as fuel or passports and coordinate with the respective border director to solve the problem.
The proposal of the Azerbaijani side on mutual acceptance of trade cargoes by scanners was accepted by Iran, and it was decided that the memorandum of cooperation should be settled, and after its signing the joint working group should take necessary steps for its realization. decision.
Also, it was agreed that the CMR certificate should be confirmed before the beginning of electronic data exchange by the customs of the Azerbaijani side.
The Iranian side offered the Azerbaijani side, taking into account the commissioning of the new bridge and customs crossing in Astara, to realize the reception of trucks in order to reduce the delays of vehicles at the border and the reception of trucks.
The agreement was reached to hold regular and continuous similar meetings at a high level between the customs offices of both sides in the joint border customs offices of Iran and Azerbaijan, and it is planned that the heads of individual border crossing points will hold meetings once a month.