Baku, Azerbaijan, April 7
By Emin Aliyev - Trend:
Pilot launch of a single real-time customs data system between Azerbaijan and Georgia has been successfully implemented.
The head of the Centre for Information Technology Services revenue Vakhtang Lashkaradze said that despite minor problems, a trial launch of this project showed its effectiveness and prospect.
"We specifically selected the busiest and biggest checkpoint on the border with Azerbaijan, to be able to assess how the system will work in real conditions and with real loading. Processing of single information about the cargoes crossing the border, and in the long term - a common customs points will be implemented in the future across the customs border between our countries," he said.
Test project of data exchange system on imports and exports between the customs authorities of the two countries was launched in late February at the Tsiteli Headey (Red Bridge) customs checkpoint (from the Azerbaijani side - Sinig Korpu check point). At the same time, a pilot project on the creation of a single customs post was launched as well.
Furthermore, an agreement on the mutual cooperation has been signed by the head of the Revenue Service of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia Irakli Gvaramadze and Chairman of the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee Aydin Aliyev within the framework of the international conference of customs administrations of Europe, held in Tbilisi in mid-March.
"This is a very important agreement, which also envisages the exchange of information. Both sides underlined their interest to accelerate the work on the project. The agreement concluded in Tbilisi - is quite general, and now we will begin the elaboration of individual inter-departmental documents on more specific projects," Lashkaradze said.
"Then, we will be able to talk about the beginning of the transition from pilot launches to continuous operation of such systems," he said, adding that such kind of work is already being carried out, and what remains is to agree on some aspects of documents.
Lashkaradze said that the agreement on sharing of data will be achieved this year, probably in September.
There are six operating customs posts subordinate to the Balakan and Tovuz customs offices between Azerbaijan and Georgia, namely Sadikhli, Sinig Korpu, Jandargol, Mazimchay, Muganli automobile posts and the Beyuk Kasik railway.
Azerbaijan is Georgia's second largest trade partner after Turkey. According to 'GeoStat' (National Statistical Service of Georgia), the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Georgia was $1.35 billion in 2013, which is a 7.14 percent increase since 2012.
Translated by S.I.
Edited by S.I.
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