Improving Customs Transit Systems
In the Islamic Countries
19
Customs Convention on International Transport of Goods Under Cover of TIR Carnets
(TIR Convention), a multilateral treaty that was concluded in United Nations Economic
Commission for Europe (UNECE) at Geneva (1975) to simplify and harmonize the
administrative formalities of international road transport; UNECE International Convention on
the Harmonization of Frontier Controls of Goods (1982) (Chapter III Provisions Concerning
Transit, Annex 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9 - Goods in transit; treaty whereby states agree to co-operate in
harmonizing and simplifying international border control. For goods in transit, the states that
ratify the Convention agree to implement "simple and speedy treatment, by limiting their
inspections to cases where these are warranted by the actual circumstances or risks";
Customs Convention on Containers, 1972, is a United Nations and International Maritime
Organization (IMO) treaty whereby states agree to allow intermodal containers to be
temporarily brought into the duty of their state and tax-free;
UNECE Convention on Customs Treatment of Pool Containers Used in International
Transport , 21 January 1994 – especially Chapter 3 - Provisions Concerning Transit, further also
Annex 2, Article 4 (Goods in Transit), Annex 3, Article 5 (Goods in Transit), Annex 4, Article 5
(Goods in Transit), Annex 5, Article 5 (Goods in Transit), Annex 5, Article 5 (Goods in Transit),
then also the entire Annex 8 – Facilitation of border-crossing procedures for international road
transport, including two Appendices; finally, Annex 8 applies to international rail transport,
including transit.
The largest positive impact on improving trade facilitation and transit times could be achieved
by practical implementation of the International Vehicle Weight Certificate pursuant to the
UNECE International Convention on the Harmonization of Frontier Controls of Goods, (1982) -
Annex 8 Facilitation of Border Crossing Procedures for International Road Transport. Trucks
would be weighed only at the time of loading and not repetitively when crossing the borders –
twice per each border.
Overall, the listed UNECE Conventions have the greatest potential for the OIC Member States as
they – at least in theory - provide universal, worldwide application. Unfortunately, many
countries still need to accede to the conventions, including especially many OIC Member States.
After the completion of this step, practical implementation would need to follow, and that will
be an additional challenge.
1.5.3 International Standards, Handbooks, Manuals, and Guidelines related to
CTR
The WCO SAFE Framework of Standards (SAFE FoS) It prescribes baseline standards that
have been tested and are working well around the globe. This unique international instrument
ushered in modern supply chain security standards and heralded the beginning of a new