TheThe TIR Convention and the concept of TIR Convention and the concept of its application in East and its application in East and

NorthNorth--East Asia East Asia

Seminar on the Development and Seminar on the Development and Facilitation of Intermodal Facilitation of Intermodal

International Transport in NorthInternational Transport in North--East East AsiaAsia

Seoul, 24 October 2012Seoul, 24 October 2012

Mr. Fedor Kormilitsyn

Economic Affairs OfficerTransport Facilitation and Logistics SectionTransport Division

OutlineOutline

The TIR Convention and TIR system: overall description and background

Introduction to electronic TIR (eTIR) project

Current status and application in ESCAP region

TIR system and intermodal transport

UNESCAP concept for application of TIR System for international intermodal transport in East and North-East Asia

The TIR Convention, 1975

The Customs Convention on the International Transport of Goods under Cover of TIR Carnets (TIR Convention, 1975) was elaborated under the aegis of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)

After the entry into force the TIR Convention, 1975 replaced the old 1959 Convention

68 Contracting Parties worldwide

One of the most successful international transport conventions with wide practical application

The TIR system

The only universal Customs transit system existing at present

Operational in 57 countries worldwide

Allows to carry out goods transport operations in road transport vehicles or in containers from the customs of origin to the customs of destination without customs inspections at the borders without the need to deposit financial customs guarantees at each of the borders

The TIR System actors

The UN TIR bodies

The International Organization assigned to manage the system

The governments of the Contracting Parties (mostly Customs authorities)

The national issuing and guaranteeing associations

The TIR Carnet holders (transport operators)

Key principles of the TIR System

Secure vehicles or containers

International guarantee chain

TIR Carnet

Mutual recognition of Customs control

Controlled access to the TIR System

Secure vehicles or containers

Goods are to be carried in sealed vehicles or containers which are approved for use by Customs and re- approved every two years

No goods can be removed without leaving obvious traces or breaking the Customs seal

Customs seals can be simply and effectively affixed to them

Approval of road vehicles and containers

Secure loading units and sealing

Annexes to Convention on technical construction of loading units

Annex 2 on Vehicles

Annex 7 on Containers (intermodal)

Sealing requirement

International guarantee chain

National guaranteeing association guarantees duties and taxes;

Covers all TIR operations in a country, both by national or foreign transport operators;

Associations linked through international chain administered by International Road Transport Union (IRU)

Limit equal to US $ 50.000 per TIR Carnet (unless otherwise agreed with the Customs authorities of a particular country)

The TIR Carnet

Customs document replaces any other national Customs transit documents

Guarantee document which itself proves the existence and validity of the guarantee

Annex 1: Model

Mutual recognition of Customs controls

Principle: Customs control measures taken in the country of departure should be accepted by the countries of transit and destination

No examination of sealed load compartments, except in special cases

Customs inspection at the office of departure crucial

Normally only documentary control en route

Controlled access

By Administrative Committee of International organization

By national Customs authority of national Associations, issuing and guaranteeing TIR Carnets

By national Customs authority of Transport Operators

Main advantages [1]

For Customs Authorities

No physical inspection of goods in transit (in principle)

No national guarantee system

No national Customs documentation and control system

Efficient control procedures for goods in transit

Main advantages [2]

Transport/Trade Industry

Minimum of procedures at borders

Reduced delays at borders

No restriction in the modes of transport

Lower transport costs (reduced export and import costs)

The eTIR project: towards the full computerization of the TIR system

Data exchange platform for all actors involved in the TIR system

Secure exchange of data between national Customs systems related to the international transit of goods under TIR Convention

Aims to allow Customs to manage the data on guarantees, issued by guarantee chains to holders

The eTIR project

The UNESCAP Resolution 48/11 on The UNESCAP Resolution 48/11 on ““Road and rail Road and rail transport modes in relation to facilitation measurestransport modes in relation to facilitation measures””, , 19921992

Recommendation to consider accession to the Recommendation to consider accession to the following international conventions facilitating road following international conventions facilitating road transport:transport:

The Convention on Road TrafficThe Convention on Road Traffic,, 19681968

The Convention on Road Signs and SignalsThe Convention on Road Signs and Signals, , 19681968

The Customs Convention on the International Transport of The Customs Convention on the International Transport of Goods under Cover of TIR Carnets (TIR Convention), 1975Goods under Cover of TIR Carnets (TIR Convention), 1975

The Customs Convention on the Temporary Importation of The Customs Convention on the Temporary Importation of Commercial Road Vehicles, 1956 Commercial Road Vehicles, 1956

The Customs Convention on Containers, 1972The Customs Convention on Containers, 1972

The International Convention on the Harmonization of Frontier The International Convention on the Harmonization of Frontier Controls of Goods, 1982Controls of Goods, 1982

The Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage ofThe Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road (CMR), 1956 Goods by Road (CMR), 1956

Status of 1975 TIR Convention Status of 1975 TIR Convention in UNESCAP regionin UNESCAP region

AfghanistanArmeniaAzerbaijanGeorgiaIndonesiaIslamic Republic of IranKazakhstanKyrgyzstan

MongoliaRepublic of KoreaRussian FederationTajikistanTurkeyTurkmenistanUzbekistan

Total: 15 contracting parties to the TIR Convention

Japan is a contracting party to 1959 TIR Convention

Application of TIR Convention in UNESCAP region [1]Country TIR carnets issued

in 2010TIR carnets issued in 2011

Armenia 800 2000

Azerbaijan 7800 9100

Georgia 4200 7000

Iran (Islamic Republic of)

54000 78000

Kazakhstan 30050 24500

Kyrgyzstan 14050 20700

Application of TIR Convention in UNESCAP region [2]Country TIR Carnets issued

in 2010TIR Carnets issued in 2011

Mongolia - 50

Russian Federation 521500 568200

Tajikistan 700 1500

Turkey 701500 672000

Turkmenistan 3200 4700

Uzbekistan 500 1050

Possibility of TIR Intermodal application

Article 2 of the TIR Convention, 1975 stipulates:This Convention shall apply to the transport of goods without intermediate reloading, in road vehicles, combinations of vehicles or in containers, across one or more frontiers between a Customs office of departure of one Contracting Party and a Customs office of destination of another or of the same Contracting Party, provided that some portion of the journey between the beginning and the end of the TIR transport is made by road

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••TIR transport with shortTIR transport with short--sea shipping or sea shipping or ro/roro/ro leg leg (e.g. trailer from UK to continental Europe)(e.g. trailer from UK to continental Europe)

••TIR transport with inland water transport leg (e.g. TIR transport with inland water transport leg (e.g. trailer/container on Danube barge from Romania trailer/container on Danube barge from Romania to Austria)to Austria)

••TIR transport with deep sea container leg (e.g. TIR transport with deep sea container leg (e.g. container from France to Morocco via container from France to Morocco via Mediterranean Sea)Mediterranean Sea)

••TIR transport with railway leg (e.g. container per TIR transport with railway leg (e.g. container per rail from Kazakhstan to Italy via Germany)rail from Kazakhstan to Italy via Germany)

Examples of possible TIR Intermodal applicationExamples of possible TIR Intermodal application

TangguTanggu

VladivostokVladivostok

PusanPusan

KhabarovskKhabarovsk

BelogorskBelogorsk

UlaanbaatarUlaanbaatar

UssuriyskUssuriyskMONGOLIAMONGOLIA

CHINACHINA

KyotoKyotoOsakaOsaka

IncheonIncheon

UiwangUiwangYoungnamYoungnam

ZaminZamin UudUud

Possible TIR Operation once the Republic of Korea is active Possible TIR Operation once the Republic of Korea is active TIR may be suspended on this route / Potential TIR Operation aftTIR may be suspended on this route / Potential TIR Operation after Chinaer China’’s s accessionaccessionSuspension of TIR Operation over water routesSuspension of TIR Operation over water routes

EranhotEranhot

Potential TIR route after JapanPotential TIR route after Japan’’s accessions accession

ESCAP Concept of TIR application in East and North-East Asia

Goods in a container can be carried from a dry port in a country to a dry port in another country through seaports and border crossings without routine physical inspections of goods

TIR application can simplify procedures and formalities for import/export and transit, which will enhance operational connectivity of the countries and reduce transport costs and time among the countries

The Republic of Korea can start operating the TIR system, Japan can switch from old version of the TIR Convention the new version, China can be encouraged to accede the Convention, number of TIR operations can increase in Mongolia and the Russian Federation

Thank you!Thank you!