Financial warantee for each TIR card to increase in Moldova

Chisinau, 28 February /MOLDPRES/ – The guaranteed amount for goods subject to TIR operation will be increased to €100,000 for each TIR card, as amended by the Government today to the Regulation on the Application of the Customs Convention Relating to the International Carriage of Goods under Cover of TIR card. At present, guarantee is €60,000.

The Ministry of Finance (MF) states that "with the increase in international prices for consumer goods, customs system of Moldova continues modernization and adjustment of all customs procedures, including transit customs regime." Recently, at initiative of the International Road Transport Union (UITR), "member countries to TIR Convention were asked to increase financial guarantee for each TIR card from €60,000 to €100,000."

The increase of the guarantee will ensure fluidity of goods traffic in international transit, due to lack of barriers in activity of economic agents practicing this type of activity, according to project authors. At present, there are cases when transport operators trained in goods traffic, require customs authorities to enter in Moldova, place goods in international transit which value is higher. In such cases, guarantee of payment of import or export duties can not be secured.

As a result, the customs body requests placing of goods in national transit procedure T1 applied in Moldova. The completion of T1 transit declaration generates additional costs (obligation for economic agent to conclude a service contract with a customs broker, which will guarantee transit financially and charge a fee for rendered services).

The increase of financial guarantee for each TIR card used in Moldova will simplify transit procedures of goods, guarantee payment of import or export taxes up to €100,000 guarantee for cases when Moldovan customs authorities prove violation of customs legislation of transit operation under cover of TIR card on the territory of Moldova and submit the respective claims to UITR in Moldova, which is guarantor association.

On 26 November 1993, Moldova acceded to Customs Convention Relating to the International Carriage of Goods under Cover of TIR card. According to regulation, goods transported under TIR procedure are exempt from payment of entry or exit charges at intermediate customs offices. At those customs offices, there are no fees for customs clearance of TIR card, and customs control can only be done in exceptional cases.

(Reporter V. Bercu, editor L. Alcaza)