Workshop to Implement the CAREC Advanced Transit System and Information Common Exchange Pilots

Supported by KSTA 9712: Implementing the Integrated Trade Agenda in the CAREC Program, co-funded by the Regional Cooperation and Integration Fund and People’s Republic of China Poverty Reduction and Regional Cooperation Fund

CAREC Advanced Transit System and Information Common Exchange (CATS/ICE) aims to streamline and harmonize transit documentation and create a single electronic messaging system to support seamless flow of goods across border and reduce trade transaction costs.

The implementation of this scheme is one of the priority activities under the CAREC Integrated Trade Agenda 2030, and its three-year Rolling Strategic Action Plan 2018–2020. CATS/ICE will also assist customs administration in CAREC countries in meeting the standards of the World Customs Organization’s (WCO) Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global trade (SAFE) program, which is designed to build customs-to-customs and customs-to-business partnerships.

Following a series of trilateral consultations with Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Kazakhstan, the workshop in Nur-sultan supported the finalization of draft trilateral agreement to implement the CATS/ICE pilot test. Participants deliberated on the activities and time frame within which the trilateral agreement may be signed following countries’ respective domestic processes. Workshop attendees included customs officials and representatives from transit and insurance companies. Participating countries aim to sign the draft trilateral agreement by September 2019 and to operationalize the pilot test by end of 2019.

Members of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Risk Management (RM) Working Groups met separately to discuss outstanding issues related to customs control procedures, development of the ICE prototype, and terms of reference of the two technical working groups established for CATS/ICE implementation.

Nigel Moore, regional transit expert, facilitated discussion on the procedures for participating in CATS and submitting transit declarations, and goods coverage and reference. Viboon Chaojirapant, ICT expert, provided technical advice on installation requirements, data transfer between CATS and local transit systems, and the timetable for installation and testing of CATS software.

A roundtable discussion was also organized among insurance companies to discuss various options for a transit guarantee mechanism. The new mechanism features risk-based guarantees, single transit document, and single and comprehensive guarantees.