Two trucks carrying cotton bound for Turkey have crossed the border from Tajikistan to Uzbekistan, using the TIR-EPD electronic customs pre-declaration for the first time in Tajikistan.
TIR-EPD is a useful tool for operators, as it allows them to share advance information with customs authorities throughout the itinerary quickly and easily online, significantly reducing waiting times at borders. Sharipov Tojiddin, the transport operator running this TIR movement, welcomed the increased simplicity and time saving offered by TIR-EPD.1
The implementation of TIR-EPD also lays the foundation for greater TIR digitalisation in Central Asia. Ongoing successful eTIR pilots in the region, supported by the German development agency GIZ, TIR national associations and customs authorities, have demonstrated the system’s potential to greatly facilitate the work of transport operators and customs authorities.
All these efforts aim at full digitalisation of the TIR system in line with the legal framework on eTIR and are crucial for improving the resilience of supply chains, which is particularly important for economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic.