Paris, 6 July 1998 –
Morocco and Tunisia have agreed to accept ATA Carnets, an International Chamber
of Commerce facility for the temporary duty-free admission of goods, ICC announced.
ATA Carnets, sometimes described as "passports for merchandise", are
already used in 52 trading nations worldwide.
The Carnets, which Tunisia began accepting from1 June and Morocco
the following month, allow temporary import of goods for display and use at
trade fairs and exhibitions. ICC expects that the North African countries will
soon extend Carnet coverage to commercial samples and advertising materials.
Both Tunisian and Moroccan Customs will accept ATA Carnets in French and English.
The ATA Carnet is an international customs document that gives
exemption from the value-added taxes, duties and other charges required by customs
authorities for temporary import of goods. It contains two vouchers for each
foreign country visited – one for customs on entering a country and the
other to be handed over on leaving. About 200 000 Carnets, covering goods with
an estimated value of $11 billion, are issued every year.
Camera equipment, computers (including laptops), repair tools,
scientific and medical equipment, fine arts, jewelry, clothing, automobiles
and live animals are some of the many items that can be covered by ATA Carnets.
Business travellers can obtain their Carnets from their local chamber of commerce
before leaving their home base.
Secretary General Cattaui said: "We have been working for
years to expand the ATA system in North Africa. This will certainly make trade
and industrial fairs in the region more attractive to foreign participants."
The Carnet system is jointly administered by the ICC International
Bureau of Chambers of Commerce (IBCC) in Paris and the Brussels-based World
Customs Organization (WCO). Carnets are issued only by chambers of commerce
affiliated with the guarantee chain set up by the IBCC.
To join the system, new member nations must first accede to
a set of international customs conventions on the temporary admission of goods
that is administered by the WCO.
A third country joining the ATA Carnet system this month is
the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia(FYROM). Of the three new members,
FYROM alone extends the use of ATA Carnets to admit commercial samples and advertising
material.
Countries in final stages of negotiations to join the ATA Carnet
system include Russia, Cuba and Mexico.