President Signs Decree on Reform of Customs System

On 4 March, President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on additional measures for the continuation of reforms in the customs system.

The Cabinet is instructed for two months to reduce the list of goods subject to compulsory certification. During this time, the government should adopt a single list of products subject to veterinary and sanitary control.

The State Customs Committee (SCC) within two months should be able to receive all declarations to the customs authorities in electronic form. The goal is to reduce to a minimum the contact between officials and citizens. From now on the committee for the purpose of speeding the trade turnover will create conditions for the passage of goods through the customs of the exporting country on the basis of the border veterinary, sanitary, hygienic and other certificates. All the appropriate state agencies will be informed about it in electronic form. To avoid losing time, SCC is also entrusted with preliminary examination of import declarations and the attached certificates, as well as the passage of goods into the customs territory. This requirement applies to goods, the civil circulation of which is restricted.

Recently, the press has published various incriminating materials in connection with the customs statistics. SCC is mandated to develop the customs statistics of foreign trade in accordance with international practices and standards, as well as to guarantee its veracity and efficiency. SCC is also within two months requested to prepare proposals to minimize the number of procedures and documents required for customs clearance. During the same period for the transportation of goods and transport across the customs border the draft rules of creating a Green Corridor and other access systems well-known in the international practice should be prepared and presented to the President.

The State Customs Committee has to prepare proposals on the separation of powers between the customs and border authorities for persons, vehicles, goods and other property crossing border checkpoints.

In the near future it is planned to take measures for the integration of information resources of all the government agencies involved in the state border transition control.

At the same time, post offices for payment of customs debts will be set up at the customs checkpoints in six months.    -8D-