Geneva, 27 April 2010 -- UNCTAD and the International Road Transport Union (IRU) have today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on prospective future cooperation, in particular on streamlining customs and international transport systems, by integrating the IRU´s TIR (Transports Internationaux Routiers) System into UNCTAD´s Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA).
The memorandum was signed by UNCTAD Deputy Secretary-General Petko Draganov and IRU Secretary-General Martin Marmy.
Under the MoU, the two organizations will cooperate in promoting best practices of the ASYCUDA and TIR systems. UNCTAD and the IRU will interact with countries in Europe, Central Asia and other regions, and with such regional organizations as the EurAsian Economic Community, the Economic Cooperation Organization, and the Organization of Black Sea Economic Cooperation, to increase the awareness of governments, customs administrations, and trade communities about international customs standards and the opportunities offered by the two systems. Such cooperation is to be carried out through joint seminars, training events, and other activities dealing with customs transit.
UNCTAD and the IRU also agreed to exchange information regularly on developments in the ASYCUDA and TIR systems and to review periodically issues pertaining to the integration and implementation of automated transit systems at national, regional, and international levels.
Various steps for linking the national ASYCUDA systems and new TIR functionalities will help to maximize benefits for customs administrations and trade communities in beneficiary countries, the two organizations said. The mutually reinforcing cooperation between UNCTAD and the IRU will increase the efficiency of their activities relating to trade and transport facilitation.
In a related development, UNCTAD will provide technical assistance and training to the customs administrations of Moldova and Georgia, which will serve as pilot projects for the new ASYCUDA/TIR system. The IRU will assist UNCTAD in field activities in the two countries.
The memorandum cretes opportunities for wider interaction between UNCTAD and the IRU, including expanding the ASYCUDA/TIR system to other countries currently using the ASYCUDA system.
The ASYCUDA integrated customs information system is currently used by more than 90 countries. The TIR system encompasses 67 contracting parties and 57 operational countries.
