Last minute deal keeps Russia in TIR Convention

5 December 2013

A last-minute deal has been struck which keeps Russia in the TIR Convention after it initially said that it would scrap its involvement from the start of  December.  

In a surprise about-turn The Federal Customs Service of Russia (FCS RF) officially notified the Russian TIR guaranteeing association ASMAP on November 30 – hours before the TIR system was due to end - that the agreement has now been extended 1 July 2014.

The agreement means that, in line with the TIR Convention, Russian customs authorities must continue to accept TIR Carnets at the Russian borders for the duration of the current agreement.

The British International Freight Association (BIFA) says that it understands that TIR carnets are now acceptable throughout Russia, including places such as Siberia where this was previously not the case.

BIFA’s website comments: “Considering this very late announcement from the FCS RF and the lack of available details, practical problems are still likely to take place at some border-crossing points in Russia over the next few days. While we are pleased that the TIR carnet system will continue, it is hoped that a longer lasting solution will be reached to give this trade lane the necessary stability.”

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