Tamkin Khalilov: “Exports from Azerbaijan to Europe can be carried out "without a transit declaration" – INTERVIEW 

Head of the State Customs Committee’s (SCC) Main Department of Technological Innovation and Statistics Tamkin Khalilov was interviewed by Report.

- The State Customs Committee has recently introduced the Trade Statistics Portal to the public. What will be the benefit of this portal for entrepreneurs?

- The main purpose of the portal is to visually present foreign trade indicators to users of customs statistics simply and interestingly and to create a single digital space to facilitate their availability.

At the same time, this portal allows entrepreneurs to conduct marketing analyses of the market in the country. The portal will support more accurate business researches of interesting parties engaging in business by providing statistics to them. This, in turn, will increase the competitiveness and transparency in foreign trade.

The portal will be more useful for entrepreneurs in creating new production enterprises planning to buy products from abroad, conducting various analyzes when researching new foreign and domestic markets to expand the product range, searching for new foreign markets for their products, planning marketing strategies, analyzing and evaluating enterprises in foreign markets.

Not only entrepreneurs but also media representatives, scientists, students, and other users conducting various researches can get interesting statistics from the Portal.

- What updates will users see on the Trade Statistics Portal from now on?

- Of course, our experts are currently studying new applications. I’d also like to note that the Portal is available in the beta version, aiming to take into account their opinions and suggestions and to develop the Portal in the future. The State Customs Committee is always ready to take into account opinions and suggestions.

I also address the users through your agency: let's make the Trade Statistics Portal easier, more informative, efficient, and convenient.

- What steps are taken to protect the personal data of individuals registered in "Smart customs" and to prevent them from transferring to third parties?

- The rapid development of information technology has made the protection of information and cybersecurity one of the most important and priority areas. Specialists of the State Customs Committee are constantly following new information technologies and exploring their applications. At the same time, relevant measures are being taken together with other government agencies.

Information collected in electronic form by the State Customs Committee is protected in accordance with the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On information, informatization and protection of information” and other legislative acts. Personal data and information resources are protected by the Information Security Department of the Committee.

Smart customs mobile application and other electronic services are used through "identification number", ASAN IMZA (Easy Signature), and "Electronic Signature". These tools also provide access to information resources of other government agencies. When using these registration tools, users are recommended that they be more careful to ensure the security of personal information and not to transfer registration information to third parties. It should be taken into account that other persons can obtain users’ personal information available in the information resources of government agencies by obtaining registration information of users.

At the same time, we would like to inform users that the official information resources of the State Customs Committee should be used when using the electronic services provided by the Committee.

- When will the simplified declaration for passengers be activated in the Smart customs system?

- One of the additional sections of the "Smart customs" mobile application is a simplified declaration for passengers. As is known, the simplified declaration is broader and more comprehensive. Work is underway to activate the simplified declaration in the "Smart customs" mobile application and it will be implemented next year.

- What information technologies will be used in border-crossing processes in the coming days? What will be new in this area?

- In general, researches are underway to simplify the border crossing process for both passenger and freight vehicles. Work is being carried out to simplify and accelerate border information exchange through initial information exchange, mutual recognition of permits using blockchain technologies during import and export operations, and integration into widely used electronic systems around the world.

Currently, efforts are being made to enable the implementation of border payments outside the customs territory. Drivers of vehicles entering the country will be free from the obligation to pay at customs checkpoints, as well as will be able to make payments at any bank or payment point in the country.

Moreover, a twinning project to integrate into Europe's New Computerized Transit System (NCTS) is underway. After completion of the integration, preliminary information on cargo, including transit cargo imported to Azerbaijan from the European Union and other countries that joined the system, will be received. At the same time, cargo exported from Azerbaijan to Europe will be able to pass through transit countries without a "transit declaration".

- What government agencies are planned to be in cooperation in the electronic field to further facilitate entrepreneurial activity?

- Cooperation in the field of e-government with government agencies and customs authorities of other countries is one of the main priorities.

For the present, information is exchanged among the information systems of 11 government agencies via the Unified Automated Management System of the customs service and. This allows online access to various permits issued by other government agencies during import and export operations to further facilitate business activities and speed up the process of border crossing and customs clearance.

The integration project with the Food Safety Agency will allow for electronic access to permits issued by the Agency for the import and export of goods, which will serve the faster movement and clearance of goods.