BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 15. Mobile phones and other wireless communication equipment imported into Azerbaijan by individuals will have to be declared to the customs authorities in written (or online) form when crossing customs, Trend reports.
Thus, the IMEI [International Mobile Equipment Identity] number of mobile phones imported by individuals into the country for personal use and not declared by the customs authorities will not be registered by the registration center of the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport.
Commenting on this issue, IT expert Farid Pardashunas said that now individuals will have to declare new smartphones that they have bought for personal use at the customs.
"The new rule concerns declaration of the IMEI code. So, if someone brings a mobile phone into the country, he must declare it at customs in order to be able to use it locally. Until now, a smartphone could be brought into the country without declarations,” Pardashunas noted.
“According to the new rules in force from today, a citizen must declare a new smartphone that he brought in order to be able to use it in our country. An important point at this time is the declaration of the IMEI code of the device,” he explained. “As for the customs duty, for example, if the cost of a smartphone exceeds $800, a simplified declaration is filled out, and $800 is deducted from the value of the imported device. Customs duty is 36 percent of the amount in excess of the $800 limit.”
“Some local shops imported smartphones into the country without declaring them and sold them at a lower price. This was possible because they evaded direct customs duties - now this will no longer be possible. However, the prices should not rise in stores that officially and legally import mobile phones," the expert said.
Previously, the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan said that according to Part 9 of Appendix No. 1 of Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers Decision No. 305 dated October 14, 2013, mobile phone devices imported from abroad must be declared to the customs authority.