Ras Al Khaimah Customs Department signs guarantee agreement with Atcuae over Global Transit System

New partnership takes UAE step closer to introducing TIR system to speed up passage of goods across borders 

Dubai, UAE 11 September, 2014: Ras Al Khaimah Customs Department has signed an agreement with the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE to work together to introduce a global customs transit system in the Emirates which will reduce the time trucks spend at borders from days to hours.

Currently linking nearly 60 countries worldwide, the TIR (International Road Transport) System provides major benefits for transport operators and customs authorities.

It reduces transport costs by minimising formalities and delays through the use of standardised inspection methods, and international customs documents known as TIR Carnets, which are issued on behalf of the International Road Transport Union (IRU).

The agreement was signed by Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al Mehrezi, Director General of Ras Al Khaimah Customs, and ATCUAE President Dr. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, at the Astoria Waldorf Hotel in Ras Al Khaimah on Tuesday.

Al Mehrezi said: The TIR System will reinforce the best global practices in road transportation in line with international agreements and conventions signed by the UAE.  It will save time and effort and will significantly reduce costs through expediting formalities and enhance their efficiency through the use of standardised inspection methods on trucks crossing the UAE’s borders.”

The National Transport Authority (NTA) sees the TIR system as a major step to meeting and fulfilling the requirements of Federal Law no. 9 for the year 2011 and its Executive Regulations concerning land transport.

Appointed by the NTA as the official association in the UAE to issue and guarantee TIR Carnets for truck operators, the ATCUAE, is already an active member of the IRU, and has been in discussions with the Federal Government for several months towards implementing the system in the UAE.

“We are very happy to have formed a new working partnership with Ras Al Khaimah Customs and are grateful for their invaluable support,” said Ben Sulayem, who earlier this year signed similar agreements with the customs authorities in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. We now look forward to reaching similar agreements with the customs authorities in the other Emirates, and hope to be able to fully activate the TIR system in the UAE by the end of the year.”

The TIR System allows goods to transit from a country of origin to a country of destination in sealed load compartments, with customs control recognition along the supply chain. This means duties and taxes at risk are guaranteed, and the need for physical inspection of goods in transit is greatly reduced, so that administrative and financial burdens are minimised.

“It cuts the time trucks spend at the borders from days to a matter of hours,” said Ben Sulayem. “This will benefit the transport industry overall, and will be welcomed by a huge range of goods manufacturers and suppliers, by customers, as well as each of the customs authorities.”

The IRU was present during the signature of this important document on Tuesday and held discussions relating to the implementation of the TIR system by the Customs Department of Ras Al Khaimah. It was agreed that a team of experts from the IRU will visit the UAE in the short run to agree on the exact terms of the implementation and introduce the highly computerised TIR system which delivers pre-declarations to Customs, ensuring real-time traceability of TIR Carnets and efficient risk management, making border procedures faster, more secure and user-friendly.