TIR Drivers Unable to Obtain Permits for Foreign Freight Transport, Reasons Cited

Many freight drivers (TIR drivers) report that they are unable to obtain the necessary permits to transport goods to other countries. The drivers, currently waiting at the Astara Customs Terminal of the Southern Regional Customs Department, told  Radio Azadliq that this problem has persisted for months, with artificial barriers being placed in their way.

"I have a load of perishable goods to deliver to Iran, but I can't get the permit. I've been waiting for 16 days already. The shelf life of this perishable load is only five to ten days. It seems that if the load spoils, I'll have to bear the cost," emphasized one driver, who wished to remain anonymous.

Drivers claim that this issue began last year, and now, for the past month, the issuance of permits has completely stopped.

Despite their attempts to obtain the necessary forms from the relevant authorities, drivers say they have seen no results. Consequently, they and their families are suffering significant financial losses.

Drivers highlight that they have been facing such problems for a long time, even holding protests at different times.

According to existing legislation, the Azerbaijan Land Transport Agency (AYNA) oversees this sector. The "Permit Forms" system is in place for international freight transport by road. Permit forms are exchanged according to quotas based on Azerbaijan’s bilateral international agreements and intergovernmental agreements on international motor connections, while permits from the International Transport Forum are issued to operators based on multilateral agreements. These are distributed among operators considering factors such as rotation, market share, or the number of vehicles owned by the operator.

Some experts believe this system needs improvement.

The Azerbaijan International Road Carriers Association explains these issues by the high demand and limited number of permit forms.

AYNA told Turan that negotiations are ongoing with Russia's Ministry of Transport to issue permit forms for third-country transport.

The agency noted that permit forms were issued to carriers earlier this year but ran out by August 7th: "Carriers were informed daily about the remaining number of permit forms, and they were immediately notified on official pages and electronic groups when they ran out. Carriers were asked not to load vehicles until new permit forms are brought into the country to avoid difficulties in operations."

Despite these warnings, some carriers continued to load their vehicles: "It has been impossible to exchange and bring in permits without Russia's consent. The delivery of forms to Azerbaijan and their issuance to carriers will be ensured."

Transport issues expert and lawyer Arshad Huseynov also stated that international freight transport permits are issued based on mutual agreements between states: "AYNA represents Azerbaijan in this matter. AYNA should work to ensure that the necessary number of permits are obtained in cooperation with the states with which it carries freight. This must be reciprocal with other countries."

According to the expert, Azerbaijan and its carriers' interests should always be protected: "To achieve this, Azerbaijani carriers should maintain a robust vehicle fleet and driver professionalism so that international partners see that all standards are met."

A. Huseynov noted that permit forms should be fairly distributed among drivers within the country: "This distribution should be transparent, ensuring that no questions arise among carriers."

Last year, changes were made to the "Law on Road Transport." According to these changes, passenger and freight transport by road is no longer licensed but organized based on permits. This has been mainly explained as a measure to prevent unfair competition and monopolization.