Azerbaijan, Georgia to ink new document

The 20th meeting of the Customs Cooperation Committee of the Central Asian Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program was held on September 28, Report informs, citing the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee (SCC).

The event, organized in a video conference format, was chaired by Deputy Chairman of the State Customs Committee, Major General of the Customs Service Javad Gasimov. Along with Azerbaijan, the meeting was attended by representatives of other CAREC members, as well as experts from the Asian Development Bank, the World Customs Organization, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.

After opening the meeting, Javad Gasimov said that the event's primary purpose was to facilitate trade and ensure a sustainable supply chain in border crossing processes, automation processes, discussion of innovative technologies in pandemic and post-pandemic times, activities on ensuring paperless trade, CAREC Integrated Trade Agenda 2030 and its Action Plan for 2021-2023, as well as other relevant issues. It was stressed that especially considering the requirements of modern times, it is essential to include the use of artificial intelligence in the operations of the trade supply chain and to carry out work in this direction at a higher level.

Representatives of CAREC member countries (Azerbaijan, China, Georgia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan) informed the participants about the innovations implemented in customs systems, digital projects implemented in the field of expanding the competence of authorized economic operators, application of an electronic "single window" system, Customs Control, and customs clearance. Also, the meeting participants discussed information on the measures to ensure the continuity in the trade supply chain during the COVID-19 pandemic and post-pandemic period and to prevent unforeseen events that could damage cross-border trade.

At the meeting, it was decided to consider the design of an electronic "single window" system by Azerbaijan and other CAREC member states with the support of the Asian Development Bank and the CAREC Institute at the suggestion of the SCC chairman.

As well, at the suggestion of the CAREC representative, it was decided to start work on the signing of a draft "Tripartite Agreement on pilot inspection of CAREC's improved transit system and general data exchange" between Azerbaijan and Georgia.