Customs Committe fully electronizes its services in Azerbaijan

By Azernews

By Kamila Aliyeva

Azerbaijan's State Customs Committee completely has shifted to the electronic system of rendering services, Aydin Aliyev, Head of the State Customs Committee (SCC), said during his speech at the Caspian Energy Forum – 2017 held in Baku on April 12.

Global economic crisis, oil prices’ fall and the devaluation of manat facilitated reforms aimed at developing non-oil sector and diversifying the country’s economy under the leadership of the President of Azerbaijan, he added.  

"The reforms concerned the customs sphere as well. Currently, the sphere of customs services is electronized for 100 percent in Azerbaijan. We are creating conditions for the operation of green corridors. Ten organizations from the main importing countries may already use green corridors on our initiative. The improvement of the legal framework is continuing, the program for the development of domestic production has been launched," he said.

Aliyev also recalled the introduction of the Tax-Free system at border points and airports.

"At the time, foreign tourists leaving the country can freely get VAT on purchases in Azerbaijan back, which has a positive effect on the development of the tourism sector," he added.

Moreover, the customs payments to the state budget of Azerbaijan have increased, according to the head of Customs Committee.

"In the first quarter of the year, 571 million manats was transferred to the state budget, which is 154 million manats more than the figure for the three months of last year. Thus, the forecasts for deductions are fulfilled in excess of those expected," Aliyev concluded.

The forecast on transfers on customs duties and taxes has been set at 2.2 billion manats ($ 1.35 billion) for 2017, which is 21.5 percent more than the forecast for 2016.