Final conference of the Twinning Project takes place

The final conference of the Twinning Project “Support to the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the accession to the Convention on a Common Transit Procedure, Convention on Simplification of Formalities in Trade in Goods and implementation of the New Computerised Transit System (NCTS)” was held on March 29.

Addressing the event, chairman of the State Customs Committee, customs service Colonel-General Safar Mehdiyev said important steps had been taken under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev to enhance our country’s transit and logistic potential, facilitate the international trade, the reforms carried out in all spheres, including the customs system had contributed to implementing the tasks successfully. 

It was said that increasing our country’s transit potential was one of the priorities of economic development and the Twinning Project could be considered an important contribution to this sphere. The chairman of the Committee underlined that successful implementation of the project would give an impetus to the further improvement of the national legislation in the customs sphere, facilitation of customs operations, acceleration of border crossing procedures, increase of our country’s export potential. 

Safar Mehdiyev underlined that all necessary steps had been taken with  regard to the membership at the New Computerised Transit System, said successful completion of the process would pave the way for rapid and uninterrupted delivery of the products made in Azerbaijan to the European market. The chairman of the Committee thanked the European Union, Italy’s Customs and Monopolies Agency for supporting the implementation of the Twinning Project. 

Head of the European Union Delegation to Azerbaijan, Ambassador Peter Michalko said the EU was interested in establishing transport and logistic relations with Azerbaijan located between Asia and Europe, uniting the East and the West. Ambassador said transportation via Azerbaijan was of special importance in terms of saving time, funds and in terms of security. 

Underlining that significant progress had been made in the customs sphere in Azerbaijan over the recent years, Peter Michalko especially praised the transparency. It was said that accession to the New Computerised Transit System would create big opportunities for transit of goods and services between Azerbaijan and the neighbouring countries and the EU. The ambassador noted that the Twinning Project would boost the development of potential of Azerbaijan’s customs bodies and increase of competitiveness of economy in the light of strengthening trade relations with the EU.

Italian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Claudio Taffuri expressed satisfaction with the bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Italy in various fields, noted that the Twinning Project would further strengthen ties in the customs sphere. It was noted that accession to the conventions envisaged within the Twinning Project would create great opportunities, further strengthen Azerbaijan's position, especially in the realization of the international transit. 

Addressing the event, director of Italy’s Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM) Marcello Minenna spoke about the relations between the Agency and the State Customs Committee, said relations, exchange of experience had further deepened in the process of the implementation of the Twinning Project.

Addressing the event, head of the Customs Risk Management and Audit Department of the State Customs Committee Farid Aliyev, representatives of the Italian Customs and Monopolies Agency Giovanni Piccirillo and Antonio Lo Parco spoke about the implementation of the project and the results achieved. The Italian experts praised the work done by the Azerbaijani customs officers in the successful implementation of the Twinning Project, despite the difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

It should be noted that the project has been implemented with the financial support of the European Union and expert support of Italy’s Customs and Monopolies Agency since June, 2020. The aim of the project is to ensure facilitation of relations of Azerbaijan with the EU customs systems and trade among the sides, to provide support to the State Customs Committee for adjusting legal, technical and procedural opportunities for our country’s accession to the European New Computerised Transit System. 

Press and Public Affairs Department of the State Customs Committee