Abu Dhabi Department of Finance and the General Administration of Customs have signed an agreement with the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE (ATCUAE) to work together to introduce a global customs transit system in the emirates.

 

The system is aimed at reducing the time trucks spend at borders from days to hours, said a statement.

 

Currently linking 73 countries worldwide, the TIR (International Road Transport) System provides major benefits for transport operators and customs authorities, it said.

 

It reduces transport costs by minimising formalities and delays through the use of standardised inspection methods, and international customs documents known as Carnets, which are issued on behalf of the International Road Transport Union (IRU). 

 

Mohammed Khadim Al Hameli, acting director general of the General Administration of Customs (Abu Dhabi), said: “Abu Dhabi Customs was among the first government departments established in the Emirate, and this agreement reinforces our long standing commitment to strengthen cooperation with neighbouring customs administrations and reach the highest standards of safety and security in land transport movement in UAE.”

 

“TIR System will reinforce the best global practices in road transportation in line with international agreements and covenants signed by the UAE.  It will save time and effort and will significantly reduce costs through expediting formalities and enhance their efficiency through the use of standardised inspection methods on trucks crossing the border, particularly to Saudi Arabia, which is witnessing the biggest movement of land transport within the country,” he added.

 

The National Transport Authority (NTA) sees the TIR system as a major step to meeting and fulfilling the requirements of the Federal Law no 9 for the year 2011 and its executive regulations concerning land transport, said the statement.

 

Appointed by the NTA as the official authority in the UAE to issue TIR Carnets for truck operators, the ATCUAE is already an active member of the IRU, and has been in discussions with the Federal Government for several months towards implementing the system in the UAE, it said.

 

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, ATCUAE president, said: “We look forward to reaching similar agreements with the customs authorities in the other Emirates, and hope to be able to fully activate the TIR system in the UAE by the end of the year, and then immediately start issuing TIR carnets.” 

 

The TIR System allows goods to transit from a country of origin to a country of destination in sealed load compartments, with customs control recognition along the supply chain. This means duties and taxes at risk are guaranteed, and the need for physical inspection of goods in transit is greatly reduced, so that administrative and financial burdens are minimised.

 

Dr Nadhem Bin Taher, executive director of Land Transport at NTA, noted that this agreement follows the Land Transport Law of International Goods Transport in co-operation with the strategic partners locally and globally. 

 

An IRU team will visit the UAE shortly to introduce the highly computerised TIR system which delivers pre-declarations to customs, ensuring real-time traceability of TIR Carnets and efficient risk management, making border procedures faster, more secure and user-friendly, he added. - TradeArabia News Service