BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 21.
Azerbaijan’s companies will be able to use a single declaration, a
single guarantee, and a unified transit procedure for shipments
from Baku to any destination within the common transit zone, which
encompasses 41 countries following the country’s accession to the
Common Transit Convention (CTC), a senior international expert on
trade and the World Trade Organization (WTO), Marius Bordalba, said
at the EU-Azerbaijan Business Forum in Baku on Wednesday, Trend’s correspondent
reports from the event.


According to him, a project funded by the European Union is
providing support to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan in
its efforts to join the CTC.


"Accession to the convention will help accelerate border
crossings, facilitate a transition to fully electronic processing,
reduce costs related to guarantees, and ensure the application of
uniform rules, requirements, and timeframes across all countries in
the common transit zone. Furthermore, the convention provides legal
certainty regarding liability, inquiries, and claims.


Since the beginning of October, three events have been held as
part of this initiative, with the participation of the State
Customs Committee," he noted.


The expert added that the first roundtable discussion involved
representatives from the Association of International Road Carriers
of Azerbaijan (ABADA), Azerbaijan Railways CJSC, and the Port of
Baku. Participants discussed current transit practices, existing
challenges, expectations regarding accession to the convention, and
the readiness of companies to participate in the new system.







"The second event focused on transit guarantees under the
convention. It was attended by guarantee-issuing organizations,
banks, insurance companies, ABADA, and the Central Bank of
Azerbaijan.


The third roundtable took place last week, involving Azerbaijani
economic operators, including representatives of companies that
utilize the green corridor system, as well as customs
representatives. During the meeting, data was also collected to
assess operational readiness," he added.


The EU-Azerbaijan Business Forum, marking the 30th anniversary
of the partnership between the European Union and Azerbaijan and
the 10th anniversary of the forum, is being held in Baku today.
This year’s forum is held under the theme “Connecting Corridors:
Connectivity and Infrastructure.” The main focus is on developing
transport connectivity and infrastructure, strengthening economic
cooperation between the EU and Azerbaijan, and expanding regional
trade and investment.


The program includes high-level discussions, thematic sessions,
and business meetings involving representatives of the public and
private sectors.