Dubai Customs took part in the international Conference of the International Road Transport Union (IRU), held last Wednesday under the patronage and presence of H.E Dr. Abdullah Al Nuaimi, Minister of Public Works and Chairman of the National Transport Authority (NTA), and in the presence of Dr. Mohammad Bin Sulayem, President of the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE (ATCUAE), and Mr. Amberto Di Berto, Secretary General of the IRU.
On behalf of Dubai Customs, Mr. Saeed Ahmed Al Tayer, Director of Land Customs Centers, attended the event that was jointly organized by ATCUAE.
Saeed Al Tayer underscored the importance of the DC role in facilitating trade movement and economic development within Dubai and the UAE in general. He also pointed out the importance of this conference which reflects upon the role of land transport, as a key drive in moving the wheel of economic and commercial growth amongst countries.
He noted that Land Customs Center Management at Dubai Customs is working under the frame of the DC’s strategy; which accentuates the principle of facilitating and simplifying legal trade procedures, protecting borders and Customs entry points; in a way that brings forward Dubai’s status as a regional hub for international trade.
Further elaborating, he stated that the UAE had joined the Convention on International Transport of Goods Under Cover of TIR Carnets (TIR Convention), by the Federal Decree No. 95 of 2006. This convention seeks to simplify and harmonise the administrative formalities of international road transport, and to mitigate hurdles faced by the Customs administrations, transport contractors, and as well as in providing an efficient protection of Customs revenues.
The UAE took a serious leap ahead in enacting the (TIR) convention, which upholds the benefit of saving time and effort for trucks crossing borders checkpoints, following the DC’s recent signing of “Guarantee Agreement” with ATCUAE, which helps introduce international best practices within the matrix of land transport, in line with the international agreements and conventions ratified by the UAE.
Al Tayer added that DC’s signing of this agreement reaffirms its commitment towards the provision of excellent Customs services in adherence to internationals norms, and the Department always seeks to further develop its services to better facilitate passengers and goods movement across land borders.”
On a concluding remark, he said, “The (TIR) system allows the transfer of consignments from source country to its final destination while it is fully sealed, with the accreditation of Customs entities along the course of shipping line; consequently reducing the volume and value of costs and transactions, as well as minimizing the need for man-led inspections which would also reduce financial and managerial burdens.”