BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 14. The possibilities
of speeding up cargo transportation and improving border procedures
at the Türkiye-Azerbaijan and Türkiye-Iran border crossing points
have been explored.
This was announced in a report by the International Road
Transport Union (IRU).
According to the report, IRU, its members - the International
Carriers Association of Türkiye (UND) and the International
Transport Companies Association of Iran (ITCAI), customs
authorities, and representatives of the road transport sector
visited the Gürbulak-Bazergan crossing points on the Türkiye-Iran
border and the Dilucu-Sadarak crossing points on the
Türkiye-Azerbaijan border, reviewed border procedures, and
discussed practical steps to increase cargo flow.
The IRU report pointed out that the Dilucu-Sadarak route is one
of the increasingly strategic transport links between Türkiye,
Azerbaijan, and Iran. The route provides access for cargo to the
Caucasus and Central Asia.
The report noted that the TIR system plays an important role at
border crossings. In addition, the IRU TIR-EPD platform allows
carriers to provide preliminary information about the cargo to
customs authorities in advance. This allows customs services to
assess risks in advance, manage their workload more efficiently,
and focus control on the necessary areas.
IRU Chief Representative Erman Ereke said that discussions at
border crossings clearly demonstrated the advantages of the TIR
system.
"TIR trucks benefit from faster and more predictable customs
procedures. TIR-EPD and TIR green corridors further expand these
opportunities," the report said.
According to the information, the TIR "green corridor"
implemented at the Dilucu border crossing point allows trucks to
provide information about their cargo before reaching the border,
resulting in a more efficient organization of the crossing
process.
The IRU noted that it encourages the wider use of TIR green
corridors in the region. According to the organization, the
expansion of digitalization and the introduction of risk-based
border procedures can create conditions for more efficient use of
existing border facilities, facilitate legitimate trade, and
increase the security of cargo transport.
Ereke noted that accelerating the transition to eTIR, a fully
digital equivalent of the TIR system, will further strengthen the
security of the region's transport corridor.
"A rapid transition to eTIR will further strengthen the security
of this regional corridor," the IRU representative emphasized.
The report highlighted that as trade and East-West connections
expand in the region, simplifying border procedures and
strengthening coordination on routes connecting Türkiye,
Azerbaijan, Iran, and Central Asia will become increasingly
important.
