PRINT

Technical assistance on analysis of the current customs legislation in transit

29.11.2021
Brussels

Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on November 29 – December 1, 2021 Border Management Programme in Central Asia (BOMCA) holds a technical assistance in a form of a meeting on analysis of the current customs legislation in transit area and gathers experts from the EU member states and Uzbek national experts in development of national transit declaration/control system. This project activity aims to assist Customs Administration of Uzbekistan in a form of review of existing national transit systems, application of Transport Internationaux Routier (TIR) Convention, and identification of gaps in legislation and relevant administrative instructions on transit regimes as well as develop recommendations for further improvement.

Based on UNECE information the Customs Convention on the International Transport of Goods under Cover of TIR Carnets (TIR Convention, 1975) is one of the most successful international transport conventions and is so far the only universal Customs transit system in existence. To date, it has 77 Contracting Parties, including the European Union. 

To facilitate and accelerate customs controls, risk analysis and guarantee control, there is a need in computerised transit procedure by making transit data available to customs services in digital form, as well as by ensuring electronic exchange of information between customs authorities and economic operators. Harmonisation of national legal frameworks with the international legislative acts - TIR Convention, ATA Convention, WCO standards - is essential.

One of the most important measures is the introduction of electronic exchange of information between customs authorities of Central Asia to enhance cooperation between the countries in the area of international movements of goods, rapid border crossings and smooth customs controls. Harmonisation of national legislative acts is the key step to ensure digitalisation and automation of customs processes.

Upon completion of this technical assistance mission the experts will recommend concrete actions based on the findings and identified inconsistencies through gap analysis of relevant primary/secondary legislative acts and relevant administrative instructions on transit regimes applied in Uzbekistan.

***

BOMCA is the flagship and the largest EU-funded Programme in Central Asia. Its current 10th phase (BOMCA 10) has started on April 1, 2021 for the period of 54 months with the budget of 21.65 million euros. BOMCA 10 is implemented by the consortium of border management institutions of the selected EU MSs and International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) led by the State Border Guard of the Republic of Latvia.  The Programme aims to enhance security, stability and sustainable growth in the region, while supporting cross-border cooperation and improving living conditions for people in the border areas of Central Asia. Thematically, BOMCA 10 covers four components: institutional development of border management agencies, improvement of detection capacities, trade facilitation, and improvement of cross-border cooperation. Geographically, the project covers all five countries of Central Asia.