26.01.2019 Ankara
The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu reported that the TOBB subsidiary, Customs and Tourism Enterprises Co. Inc. (GTI AŞ) has invested over 500 million USD towards the modernization of customs facilities to date, “Every year, a cost of over 20 million USD for the customs facility maintenance, lighting and operational expenses arise.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu,
spoke to an Anadolu Agency correspondent, in regards to January 26th
World Customs Day about the activities of TOBB.
Hisarcıklıoğlu
stated that they first assumed responsibility for the modernization of the
İpsala Customs Gate in 2002, and then continued their modernization efforts with
the “Build-Operate-Transfer” model through the Customs and Tourism Enterprises
Co. Inc. which is a subsidiary established by TOBB in partnership with 137
Chambers and Commodity Exchanges in 2005.
Hisarcıklıoğlu
stated that Customs and Tourism Enterprises Co. Inc. started its activities in
2005 with the modernization of Habur Border Gate followed by Cilvegözü,
Hamzabeyli, Kapıkule, Nusaybin, Esendere, Çıldır-Aktaş, Dilucu and the Muratbey
Customs Directorate, formerly known as Halkalı, make up the 9 facilities which
have so far been modernized.
Pointing
to the completion of the modernization of 10 customs gates in total to date,
Hisarcıklıoğlu said that the number will reach 11 with the completion of the
Kapıköy Customs Gate modernization.
Hisarcıklıoğlu
stated that besides the modernization of the customs gates, 2 truck park
facilities were opened by Customs and Tourism Enterprises Co. Inc. in order to
serve the Kapıkule and Hamzabeyli customs gates. “Administrative and commercial
buildings in all facilities, entry-exit control units, search hangars, contraband
warehouses, platforms, scales, social facilities, truck parking areas, X-ray
vehicle scanning facilities, card access, closed circuit camera and security
systems were built to the most modern standards. For the use of passengers and
truck drivers, areas such as restaurants, grocery stores, toilets and duty-free
shops have also been established.”
- “Services provided to 5.5 million
vehicles and 19 million passengers”
Hisarcıklıoğlu
pointed out that GTİ Co. Inc. has invested more than 500 million USD in the
facilities it has modernized so far, and it has spent more than 20 million USD
on maintenance, lighting and operational expenses of customs facilities annually.
Underlining
the fact that GTİ Co. Inc. undertakes the high financing burden of
modernization projects and creates additional employment and extra tax revenue,
Hisarcıklıoğlu emphasized that the company contributes to the development of
foreign trade by increasing the efficiency of customs gates. Pointing at the
modernized border gates, wait times which have been decreased to minutes from
hours, Hisarcıklıoğlu reported that 5.5 million vehicles and 19 million
passengers were provided services last year.
Hisarcıklıoğlu
said that customs should be constantly renewed according to the changing
legislation and practices of parties, stating that they aim to relieve the flow
of traffic at customs gates, accelerate processing times, provide services at
international standards, improve the image of border crossings in a positive
way and promote the country in the best way possible.
Reporting
that the busiest port for Turkey's TIR traffic is the Habur Customs Gate modernized
by GTI Co. Inc. in 2006 and that, last year, over 1 million trucks have made use
of the facility, and that Kapıkule Customs Gate has provided services to over 6
million passengers annually.
- “Sarp and Kapıköy Customs Gates
will be opened”
Hisarcıklıoğlu
reported that they’ve received requests to increase capacity for the Sarp
Customs gate opened in 2009 in parallel with the increased passenger and
vehicle traffic due to passage between Turkey and Georgia becoming available with
only the presentation of valid ID, “To this end, existing projects have been revised,
and the construction of a new customs gate has started. Kapıköy Customs Gate, which
will contribute positively to the increasing trade with renewed Sarp Customs
Gate and Iran, is planned to be opened as well. The agreement for the
modernization of the İpsala Customs Gate was also signed at the end of last
year; we will renew this gate as soon as possible and open it for operation.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu
underlined that the Ministry of Commerce has made great progress in the last 10
years in terms of digitization and adaptation to the digital era; that, thanks
to digitization, many foreign trade transactions have been rendered, minimizing
the level of bureaucracy at customs.
Hisarcıklıoğlu
stated that with the “on-site customs clearance” application, companies could
complete their customs clearance procedures at their warehouses without having
to go through domestic customs. Thus, there is positive contribution to foreign
trade in terms of time and cost. Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the data sharing
conducted by the Trade Ministry with other public institutions and
establishments have made it possible to conduct many operations can be
completed via the single desk application at customs.