TIR, a successful PPP model in international trade facilitation: Customs & Export Promotion Commissioner

Jul 20, 2018

NEW DELHI, 20 July 2018: Mr. Amitabh Kumar, Commissioner (Customs & Export Promotion), Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) on Thursday said that TIR (Transports Internationaux Routiers or International Road Transports) is one of the successful examples of a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model in international trade facilitation and will be a win-win collaboration for customs, FICCI and the business community.

 

He was addressing a two-day Training Programme on TIR system organized by FICCI in association with CBIC and the International Road Transport Union (IRU), Geneva on 19-20 July 2018 to discuss the benefit of TIR system in India.

 

Ms Tatiana Rey-Bellet, Head-TTS Implemenation, IRU said that the major milestone-successful TIR admission audit of FICCI conducted this week by IRU Audit Commission, opens the way to the first TIR operations, which will facilitate trade exchange between India and its major trade partners.

 

Mr. Nirankar Saxena, Deputy Secretary General, FICCI mentioned that given the significance of TIR in boosting regional connectivity, and India's accession to the convention, it is recommended for other BBIN countries to opt for TIR to improve the effective transit procedures among the four countries and by connecting the BBIN region to other world markets.

 

TIR is the only global customs transit system for moving goods across international borders. Supporting trade and development for more than 61 years, it is governed by the United Nations TIR Convention, overseen by the United Nations Economic Commission (UNECE), and managed by IRU. One of the most successful international transport conventions, TIR makes border crossings faster, more secure and more efficient, reducing transport costs, and boosting trade and development.

 

India acceded to the United Nations TIR Convention on 15^th June 2017 - the Customs Convention on International Transport of Goods under cover of TIR Carnets.  FICCI has been appointed by CBIC as National Guaranteeing Association for the operation of TIR System in India similar to ATA Carnet.  The convention came into force for India on 16^thDecember 2017.

 

TIR will help Indian traders to have access to fast, easy, reliable and hassle free international system for movement of goods by road or multi-modal means across the territories of other contracting parties.  It will be a boon to India's trade and aims to integrate the economy with global and regional production networks through better connectivity. It can be an instrument for movement of goods along the International "North-South" Transport (INSTC) Corridor via Chabahar port in Iran, to access landlocked Afghanistan and the Eurasian region. India plans to export its first cargo on TIR soon.