BAKU, Azerbaijan, Nov. 26
Trend:
A meeting was held between the leadership of Azerbaijan’s State Customs Committee and members of the Azerbaijan-France Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Trend reports Nov. 26 referring to the State Customs Committee.
“Reforms, business cooperation and prospects in the customs sphere” topic was discussed during the meeting, according to the report.
Chairman of Azerbaijan’s State Customs Committee, Lieutenant General of the Customs Service Safar Mehdiyev, his deputies, the heads of the main directorates, Ambassador of France to Azerbaijan Zacharie Gross, Head of the EU Delegation to Azerbaijan Kestutis Jankauskas, Chairperson of the Azerbaijan-France Chamber of Commerce and Industry Teyba Guliyeva and members of the chamber took part in the event.
Teyba Guliyeva informed the participants about the positive results of the meeting of the Chamber’s members with the leadership of the State Customs Committee, on effective interaction towards strengthening cooperation. It was emphasized that the dialogue between the Chamber and the customs authorities will serve the development of business.
Then, French Ambassador to Azerbaijan Zacharie Gross thanked the customs committee’s leadership for their support in organizing the meeting. Gross noted that the Committee plays the role of a bridge in the regulation and development of economic relations between the two states, as well as with Europe.
The ambassador emphasized the importance of further diversification and the development of mutual trade ties.
Head of the EU Delegation to Azerbaijan Kestutis Jankauskas said that the EU and Azerbaijan are important trade partners, adding that the turnover has increased amid the strengthening of mutual cooperation.
Then Chairman of Azerbaijan’s State Customs Committee Safar Mehdiyev made a speech and informed the participants about innovative reforms in the customs sphere, carried out under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, improving the business environment, developing international transit, ensuring transparency and civil justice, measures to eliminate the shadow economy.
It was emphasized that the main goals of the State Customs Committee are to facilitate trade, further improve legislation, increase the quantity and quality of electronic services.
Mehdiyev noted that important steps were taken towards improving infrastructure, through the purchase of technical equipment, physical inspections of goods were reduced by 70 percent, the border crossing process was accelerated.
At the end of the meeting, the chairman of the committee emphasized that through elimination of the negative factors associated with the shadow economy and unfair competition, the customs authorities provided revenues to the state budget in the amount of 2 billion manat ($1.1 billion). Safar Mehdiyev also spoke about the work in the direction of applying the new computerized transit system.
($1= 1.7 manat on Nov. 26)