Transit System at UAE borders will boost regional transport, trade links 07.06.2015: Customs authorities in seven emirates put weight behind TIR system as ATCUAE hosts IRU workshop Caption: ATCUAE President Mohammed Ben Sulayem addressing

Customs authorities in seven emirates put weight behind TIR system as ATCUAE hosts IRU workshop 



Caption:  ATCUAE President Mohammed Ben Sulayem addressing the workshop


The UAE takes an important step this week towards countering the damaging effects of long truck delays at border crossings which restrict intra-regional trade throughout the Arab world.


Sharjah Customs and Umm Al Quwain Customs are expected to sign the agreements with the Automobile and Touring Club for the UAE over the next 24 hours to work together to introduce a global transit time which dramatically accelerates the movement of goods across frontiers.


With the customs authorities in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman and Fujairah already committed, the TIR (International Road Transport) System, which slashes the time trucks spend at customs controls, is on course to become operational at the UAE’s borders by the end of the year.


Senior Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain customs officials will sign agreements with the ATCUAE during the two-day International Road Transport Union TIR workshop which opened today at the Hyatt Regency Dubai, with more than 100 government officials and senior customs and transport industry figures in attendance.


ATCUAE President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said: “The UAE’s land transport sector has a major part to play in the growth of the national economy and the introduction of the TIR system is an important step forward in boosting trade and transport links with our neighbouring countries.”


Sulayem was among the speakers during today’s opening session of the IRU workshop along with Dr. Abdulla S. Al Katheeri, Executive Director, Land Transport, Federal Transport Authority – Land & Maritime, and Umberto de Pretto, the IRU’s Secretary General.


The restrictions currently hindering road transport and cross border trade in the region were underlined by a report commissioned by the IRU in partnership with the Islamic Development Bank and the Arab Union of Land Transport.


The report put intra-regional trade in the Arab world at only 14% of the total trade, and said one of the factors for this is the barriers - mainly cross border operations - still faced by road transport in the region. A survey based on 108 truck drivers’ journals revealed that more than 57% of the time taken by road trips was spent waiting in queues at borders.


The highly computerised TIR system, which currently links 68 countries worldwide, rapidly accelerates the movement of goods by road, using standardised and reduced controls to minimise physical customs inspection s. Pakistan confirmed last week that it will sign up to implement the TIR system in order to boost trade and increase regional connectivity with Iran and Turkey by allowing goods to flow freely between the countries, and soon with China.


Benefits of the TIR system are felt by the transport industry overall, including a huge range of goods manufacturers and suppliers. In addition, the system protects revenue for each country by ensuring taxes due are covered by an international guarantee.


IRU experts are using the Dubai workshop the event to highlight the effectiveness of the TIR system. Among the senior officials attending are Khaled Ali Al Boustany, Acting Director General, Federal Customs Authority, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Economy, CID, the Federal Authority For Land and Maritime Transport and leading transport operators.


Presentations are being delivered by Tariq Rangoonwala, Chairman, Pakistan International Chamber of Commerce, Carlos El Hachem, President, Able Logistics and Member of the Executive Committee of the Arab Union for Land Transport, Bekmurad Eyeberdiyev, Secretary General for Turkmenistan’s Association of International Road Carriers, and Asli Gözütok, TIR & ATA Carnets Acting Manager, Union of Chamber of Commodity Exchanges of Turkey.

- Tony Lewis, Total Communications Dubai - also photo