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Akbar Novruz

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Azerbaijan and Türkiye are jointly advancing efforts to establish a simplified customs corridor as part of broader initiatives to facilitate trade and strengthen connectivity along the Middle Corridor, Chairman of the State Customs Committee (SCC) Shahin Bagirov has said, AzerNEWS reports.

Speaking on the initiative, Bagirov said customs cooperation among the Turkic states continues to deepen, creating favorable conditions for expanding regional trade and transport links.

"Our relations with the Turkic states in the field of customs are strengthening, and this process is gradually becoming stronger," he said. "These relations give impetus to increasing interstate trade turnover, particularly as these countries are located along the Middle Corridor."

Bagirov noted that Azerbaijan and Türkiye are actively working on the implementation of a simplified customs corridor, while discussions are also underway with Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan on establishing an initial information exchange mechanism.

"Our main goal is to develop and implement a 'Single Window' system," he said, adding that the project is intended to simplify customs procedures, improve data exchange, and facilitate cross-border trade across the region.

The SCC chairman also highlighted Azerbaijan's active role within the World Customs Organization (WCO), noting that the country serves as a member of the organization's Policy Commission, where it contributes to discussions on customs governance and international cooperation.

According to Bagirov, Azerbaijan also played a key role in the establishment of the Customs Cooperation Fund, which is expected to support future information exchange, improve data quality, enable advance information sharing, and ultimately contribute to the implementation of the "Single Window" system among participating countries.

He acknowledged that the initiative remains a long-term undertaking due to the technical, legal, and procedural issues that must be resolved before full implementation.

"It is currently impossible to say exactly when this process will be fully completed because it requires resolving technical, legal, and other procedural matters," Bagirov said.

He added that the participating Turkic states have shown significant interest in the initiative and expressed confidence that a unified customs platform could eventually be established across the Middle Corridor.

"We aim to create a unique system among the Turkic states through the 'Single Window' mechanism that can serve as an example to the world," Bagirov said. "Azerbaijan is playing a very active role in this process, with many of the initiatives being proposed by our country, and we are confident that we will successfully complete this work."