On February 10, an extraordinary meeting dedicated to customs cooperation issues within the framework of the Turkic States Organization was held in Geneva, at the Palace of Nations.
The event was attended by Kubanychbek Omuraliev, Secretary General of the Turkic States Organization, as well as heads of customs authorities from the participating countries and representatives from the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and the International Road Transport Union.
At the beginning of the meeting, the Secretary General noted that the meeting, against the backdrop of the Global Forum of the UN ECE and the session of the Administrative Committee of the TIR, created an opportunity to demonstrate a coordinated position of the Turkic States Organization on the international stage.
The main topics of discussion included the implementation of the Action Plan for the eTIR procedure, progress in the execution of the Agreement on the establishment of a simplified customs corridor signed in Samarkand in 2022, as well as preparations for the launch of the eCMR (electronic consignment note) system within the Turkic States Organization.
Participants paid special attention to the work of the specialized group engaged in the implementation of the eCMR pilot project. Kubanychbek Omuraliev emphasized that the technical solutions being developed will form the basis for the implementation of the system at the regional level and highlighted the importance of active participation by customs administrations in the application of digital tools.
Additionally, the possibility of providing priority passage at border crossing points for carriers using digital solutions such as ePermit, eTIR, and eCMR was discussed.
As a result of the meeting, the readiness of the member states of the Turkic States Organization to deepen customs cooperation, develop digital transit mechanisms, and strengthen regional interconnectedness was confirmed. The decisions made are expected to enhance the security, efficiency, and predictability of trade flows in the region, as well as strengthen the role of the Turkic States Organization in the international customs and transport system.
