What is Transit?
Transit is a customs procedure according to which unprocessed goods are transferred from one customs office to another without definitive clearance under the supervision of customs officials.
Types of transit
According to the customs law, transit is of two types, one is domestic transit and the other is external transit.
1- Domestic transit: It is a customs procedure in which the goods under customs supervision is transferred from the border customs to the customs of destination.
2- External (Foreign) Transit: Is a customs procedure according to which the goods under the supervision of the customs enters from a permitted border point and exits from other authorized border customs designated by the customs of origin.
General information about transit
Afghanistan, with its special geographical position in the region, has the status of a connecting corridor of the countries of the region, especially South and Central Asia. Providing the necessary grounds and infrastructure and sound management can play an essential role in determining economic, political and social relations as a corridor of trade and transit in the region, but considering the structure of the general economic and political situation of the country, there are several challenges and obstacles. Over the past decade, Afghanistan’s trade and transit relations with the rest of the world and our neighbors have expanded, since Afghanistan is landlocked, the role of neighboring countries in facilitating Afghanistan’s foreign trade in the transfer of imports, exports and transit goods is considered very important and vital.
Afghanistan in general has faced many problems in designing and implementing its trade and transit policies. Afghanistan’s landlockedness and political problems with neighboring countries have sometimes halted the transit of Afghan traders in neighboring countries. Discouragement and financial losses for the country’s businessmen have also occurred.
Afghanistan has concluded transit and international road transport agreements with most of its neighbors and other trading partners to connect the region and make Afghanistan a regional transit center. The parties to these agreements, in accordance with their domestic laws and internationally accepted standards have the right of transit within each other’s territory.
Information on the TIR system in Afghanistan
The TIR Convention is one of the most successful international transport conventions and customs transit systems in the world. This convention has established the transit regime and regional transit basis for many countries in Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and the United States.
Afghanistan at first became a party to the TIR Convention in 1976, but civil war prevented the transit system from being used by Afghanistan and the International Road Transport Organization (IRU) suspended it. And in 2010 the Afghan government reopened its TIR system, both economically and in terms of transit problems. Activation of the TIR system in Afghanistan and for this purpose invited the International Road Transport Organization and ECO to discuss the reactivation of the TIR system in Afghanistan and fortunately in May 2010 a two-day conference in Kabul as a result, the IRU agreed to reactivate the TIR system in Afghanistan. To this end, the Afghan delegation held talks with the officials of the IRU (International Road Transport Organization) and on September 14, 2013 Afghanistan once again became an official member of the TIR Convention.
Pursuant to Decree No. 2967 dated 20/4/1390, 0f the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan President in order to regulate matters related to international transportation using the TIR system of the National Committee consisting of the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and the Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Interior, Finance, Trade, Transport, the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries has been appointed under the chairmanship of the Minister of Transport, the activities of this committee are regulated in a separate regulation and the above-mentioned departments carry out their activities in the light of the said regulation.
Objectives and benefits of the system (TIR):
1. Better facilities for international trade transportation
2. Reducing road costs and reducing delays in the operation of the international transit system
3. Possibilities of transferring cargoes according to the same and standardized methods in controlling and supervising the TIR system
4. Promotion and development of international road transport transportation
5. No need to provide customs guarantees at entry borders
Activities of the Afghan General Directorate of Customs in order to better implement matters related to TIR:
1. Establishing the management office of the TIR system in the organizational structure of Afghan Customs Department, Ministry of Finance
2- Adapting the module of Asycuda TIR system in 15 border and inland customhouses and introducing it to IRU
3. Establish a separate procedure for regulating the affairs of those transit goods that operate using TIR carnet.
4. Appointment and assignment of TIR agents in the organizational structure of provincial customhouses that use the TIR system.
5. Increase the capacity of provincial customs TIR officers
6. Preparation and standardization of seals and stamos in accordance with international standards in the TIR system
7. Issuance of road vehicle certification including TIR system (Certificate Approval)