Improving Customs Transit Systems
In the Islamic Countries
4
The Objective and Methodology of the Study
The objectives of the study are to improve awareness of the CTR and benefits of trade
facilitation:
 Improve awareness on the importance of efficient custom transit regimes;
 Share information on the good practices of well-functioning custom transit
regimes globally;
 Explore comparatively the state of the play in the OIC countries in this regard;
 Provide policy options that may be useful for policymakers to consider in their
efforts to develop/improve efficient customs transit regimes.
CTR has an important role to play for simplifying trade formalities. This study provides a
comprehensive view of how OIC MSs currently implement CTR. It also reflects how customs and
other agencies involved in the export and CTR procedures can strengthen their efforts to ensure
successful operations and sustainability and leverage a trade facilitation benefit.
The experts propose using a cross-country assessment framework and a pragmatic approach to
policy options development to deliver on these objectives. Also, desk research on best practices
and the evolution of the conceptual framework of CTR will be undertaken and summarized to
improve the understanding of CTR concept and aspects.
The cross-country assessment framework is designed to compile and analyses information
collected from primary and secondary information sources. It is a structured approach to
describe and compare OIC MS's efforts and the way of implementation of Customs Transit
Systems. The pragmatic policy options development approach is designed to derive a set of
policy recommendations that are specific to the OIC MSs situations.
Cross-country assessment framework - Many Customs Administrations worldwide have
implemented modern CTR with the aim to facilitate international trade and to simplify the
transit procedures and at the same time to lower the costs and transit time to the Economic
operators.
The way how the Customs Administrations adopted the CTR differs across countries and
numerous different Customs Declaration Processing Systems and supportive tools and solutions
have emerged. The exchange of data and information among Customs Administration(s) related
to transit is an important aspect of simplifying, speed-up, and lower the risk focusing on the
high-risk goods and means of transport.
Early attempts have been limited to the paper-based exchange of information or like in case of
EU-EFTA at the very early stage by faxing among the Customs Authorities. The risk management
functionalities of the Customs Declaration Processing Systems together with the Guarantee
Management System and Authorization Management System are managing the transit