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Serbia
follows Belarus and Mongolia to join the ATA system
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| From
trade shows to concertos - ATA Carnets help bring in the equipment |
Paris,
22 September 2004
- Serbian Customs are preparing to start accepting ATA Carnets, an International
Chamber of Commerce facility for the temporary duty-free admission of
goods, from 1 November this year.
The ATA Carnets, sometimes
described as "passports for goods", are already operated by
60 trading nations. To join the system, Serbia acceded to a set of international
customs conventions on the temporary admission of goods that is administered
by the Brussels-based World Customs Organization (WCO).
Serbian Customs will
accept the ATA Carnets for the temporary import of professional equipment,
commercial samples and advertising material, and goods for display and
use at trade fairs and exhibitions.
Earlier this year
Belarus and Mongolia also introduced the Carnet system, to the benefit
of local enterprises.
Peter Bishop, recently-elected
Chairman of the ICC/WCF World ATA Carnet Council (WATAC) and Deputy Chief
Executive of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, highlighted
the positive signals conveyed by countries implementing the Carnet system
and the potential ensuing benefits.
"Serbia, Belarus
and Mongolia's accession to the ATA system sends a strong signal to both
domestic and foreign businesses that these countries are determined to
become players in global cross-border trade," he said. "The
introduction of the Carnets will, for example, make their trade and industrial
fairs more attractive to foreign participants.
"We're expecting
Iran, Pakistan and Chile to soon join the system and profit in similar
ways," he added.
According to Alain
Destouches, ATA Administrative Director, the ATA Carnet is "a perfect
illustration of how close cooperation between customs and business can
help facilitate international trade and promote global economic development.
&quo
t;It is perhaps
the most successful example of international co-operation between governments
and the private sector," he said.
The ATA Carnet is
an international customs document that gives exemption from the duties,
taxes and other charges required by customs authorities for the 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. Last year 183,000 Carnets, covering goods with an estimated
value of US$ 13.8 billion, were issued.
Camera equipment,
computers (including laptops), repair tools, scientific and medical equipment,
fine arts, jewellery, 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.
The Carnet system
is jointly administered by the World Chambers Federation (WCF) and the
World Customs Organization (WCO). Carnets are issued by chambers of commerce
and similar organizations affiliated with the ATA international customs
guarantee chain set up by ICC/WCF.
For more information
on ATA Carnets please contact:
Alain Destouches, ATA Administrative Director, International Chamber of
Commerce
Tel +33 (0)1 49 53 28 48
Email: Click here to send a mail
or visit our ATA Carnet Website: http://www.atacarnets.org
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