Geneva, 1 November 2016 – The digital eTIR system has been endorsed as the future of TIR – the only global cross-border transit system – with the first pilot project between Turkey and Iran hailed a resounding success.
The benefits of eTIR have been recognised at recent high level United Nations meetings. Strong support came from both pilot countries, prompting further interest in the innovation from Moldova and Kazakhstan, while Ukraine’s decision to work on a new intermodal pilot with Turkey was confirmed.
Didem Dirlik heading the pilot project for Turkish customs, said, “By using electronic guarantees, eradicating all paper work and with successful monitoring we saw that the systems really work. The future of TIR is with eTIR.”
From Iranian customs, Mostafa Ayati said, “We look forward to expanding the project to the neighbouring and other TIR contracting parties, so all could benefit from this facilitation tool.”
The first eTIR pilot project was led by the Turkish and Iranian customs authorities, two pioneer volunteer transport operators and the two countries’ respective TIR Guaranteeing Associations, ICCIMA and TOBB, working together with IRU and the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). eTIR was tested along one transport corridor between the two countries, in which 31 eTIR pilot transports were conducted.
Phase one eTIR pilot transports have demonstrated that eTIR is 100% reliable, inexpensive to implement and requires only minor adjustments to existing customs’ IT infrastructure. Phase two is extending the system to more transport operators, enabling associations and customs authorities to benefit from less data entry work, ease of implementation and advance risk assessment.
IRU will provide the Ukrainian authorities, with the necessary technical information to launch eTIR in the coming weeks and is working closely with IRU member, ASMAP UA. Turkey has pledged to share knowledge and collaborate with Ukraine in order for eTIR preparations to begin as quickly as possible.
Célhia de Lavarène
