Customs reforms serve to simplify trade

By Azernews

By Narmina Mammadova

The reforms carried out by President Ilham Aliyev in the customs sphere serve to simplify the foreign trade process, chairman of Azerbaijan’s State Customs Committee Safar Mehdiyev said at the “Foreign Trade Participants Forum: Application of Green Corridor Pass System” on December 24.

The head of the State Customs Committee noted that the implementation of projects in the transport sector, in particular the implementation of the International North-South Transport Corridor project, the commissioning of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, the implementation of the Silk Road project, important projects in the oil sector, the opening of the Baku International Trade Port serve to simplify and accelerate trade, and also turn Azerbaijan into a logistics center..

“The development of various areas of the Azerbaijani economy makes reforms in customs authorities inevitable,” Mehdiyev added.

He noted that by making decisions on green corridors, President Ilham Aliyev made a great gift to businessmen.

"This is the reform based on international experience, recommendations of the World Customs Organization, and it opens up new opportunities for trade,” Mehdiyev said.

He noted that with the development of the Azerbaijani economy, import-export operations are growing in the country.

“The application of this system will start from February 1 next year, and this will allow to conduct import-export operations without leaving office, and this, in turn, will reduce the interaction of citizens with officials, as well as ensure transparency in this area,” he added.

In conclusion, Mehdiyev invited all entrepreneurs to conduct their import and export operations through the green corridor system.

According to the amendments to the Customs Code of Azerbaijan, introduced in line with President Ilham Aliyev’s decree, dated November 30, 2016, in order to simplify the customs registration of goods and vehicles passing through customs border crossing points, green, blue, yellow and red systems can be used on the basis of a short import declaration.

“Green corridor” constitutes immediate release of goods without examination based on the customs control and the risk assessment conducted in accordance with the short import declaration which is submitted in electronic form in advance.

Loads of entrepreneurs meeting the blue corridor principles will be checked directly at customs. In this case, the entrepreneur submits an electronic declaration of import, after which his cargo is checked and a decision is made on admission to the country.

The "yellow corridor" is provided for goods for which a special certificate is required. For example, goods requiring medical, veterinary and other certificates. In this corridor, the goods are checked for compliance with the quality certificate, after which a decision to pass to the Azerbaijani market is made.

Cargoes entering the “red corridor” are subjects to mandatory verification. Based on the declaration submitted by the entrepreneur, the cargo is checked for quantity, quality and the specified price.