IRU - Welcome speech

Conference Programme
"CONTRIBUTION OF THE TIR SYSTEM TO THE SECURITY OF TRADE AND TRANSPORT"

Conference Hall of the Federal Customs Service of the Russian Federation (FCS RF)
1-a, Komsomolskaya Ploschad, Moscow
13-14 March 2007

Allow me to welcome, on behalf of the Russian Association of International Road Carriers (ASMAP), the representatives of the UNECE, IRU, World Customs Organisation, Russian and foreign competent authorities, associations, transport operators and all participants of the Conference.

The Assembly of the International Road Transport Union, which took place in November 2006, supported ASMAP's initiative to hold in Moscow a Conference on TIR Convention related issues in order to exchange best practices of its application by national associations and competent authorities.

The central element of the prevention work carried out by ASMAP is the existing electronic delivery confirmation system – SafeTIR. It was Russia which in 1995 initiated the corresponding UNECE resolution. Today this is even more important, bearing in mind that as of 2006 this system is part of the TIR Convention.

ASMAP, the IRU and the FCS of Russia did their utmost to make possible real-time operation of this system in Russia. I would like to address my special thanks to the Federal Customs Service for their efforts.

Procedures put in place by ASMAP to deal with TIR Carnets are based on state-of-the-art principles. Today we will make presentation of the unique real-time information system used by the TIR Department of ASMAP in all regions of Russia.

Advanced information technologies and the measures taken to prevent risks related to TIR Carnets allowed ASMAP to significantly reduce the number of Customs payment claims with regard to Russian operators.

At present more than 1 million operations under the TIR procedure are terminated in Russia, that is 1/3 of all TIR carnets issued around the world. Russian carriers annually use about 500,000 Carnets. Still the violations are counted in one-digit figures.

This shows that Russia, as a Contracting Party to the TIR Convention, is enthusiastic about the TIR Convention and its stable functioning.

Yet, we should realise that efficient functioning of the system is only possible where all associations and competent national authorities assure effective control of TIR carnets.

The Economic Commission for Europe and the IRU play major role in ensuring appropriate functioning of the TIR System. These organisations should make sure that national associations and Customs authorities respect the provisions of the TIR Convention at a national level. Otherwise the negative consequences of use of TIR Carnets in some countries might have repercussions in some other countries.

We are confident that the Conference will reach its objectives, as the only way to ensure an efficient and stable functioning of the TIR Convention, and to secure foreign trade and transport operations in all the Contracting Parties, is to rely on such principles and spread best practices.