AKIPRESS.COM - The meeting of the Heads of OTS Customs Administrations was convened at the Palais des Nations in Geneva on February 10, the OTS press service reported.

The meeting was attended by OTS Secretary General Kubanychbek Omuraliev, senior customs officials of OTS member states, representatives of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the International Road Transport Union (IRU).

Opening the meeting, the Secretary General stressed that holding the meeting alongside the UNECE Global Forum and the TIR Administrative Committee session provided a valuable opportunity to present the coordinated and unified position of the OTS at the international level.

The discussions focused on the implementation of the Action Plan for the eTIR procedure, progress in applying the Agreement on the Establishment of a Simplified Customs Corridor (Samarkand, 2022) and preparatory work toward the launching of eCMR (electronic Consignment Note) across the OTS region.

Kubanychbek Omuraliev undescored the work of the dedicated Working Group on the implementation of eCMR pilot project, aimed at developing technical and software solutions that will later serve as a basis for region-wide deployment. The Secretary General stressed the importance of the close involvement of customs administrations as key operational actors in the practical implementation of eCMR.

To further incentivize the use of digital instruments such as ePermit, eTIR, and eCMR, the meeting discussed the introduction of priority passage at border crossing points for carriers applying digital transport and customs tools.

The meeting reaffirmed the strong commitment of OTS member states to deepening customs cooperation, advancing digital transit solutions, and strengthening regional connectivity. The outcomes of the meeting are expected to contribute to more secure, efficient, and predictable trade flows across the OTS region, while reinforcing the Organization's role as an active and coordinated actor in the international customs and transport architecture.