IRU calls competent authorities to standardise and harmonise “Business-to-Customs” IT communication and data protocols to eliminate a major impediment to trade and road transport and hence economic development.

Geneva - The International Road Transport Union (IRU) General Assembly today unanimously adopted a “B2C” Resolution to ensure the appropriate standardisation and harmonisation of “Business-to-Customs” IT Communication and data protocols in data exchange, especially regarding the implementation of the TIR System.

The diversity of EU Member States’ requirements for lodging TIR data electronically and communication channels available to TIR transport operators as per the EU’s NCTS/TIR Regulation, combined with the absence of harmonised procedures within EU members states to register and obtain the EORI number required since July 2009, have caused this year significant difficulties for international road transport operators at the EU’s external borders.

IRU head of Facilitation, Peter Krausz, stated, “the lack of standardisation and harmonisation of the ‘Business-to-Customs’ IT communication and data protocols between EU Member States has led to enormous and unnecessary additional costs for road transport operators, who have had to endure unacceptable waiting times at some EU external borders and resort to third parties, against payment, to carry out additional and unexpected formalities at borders”.

Moreover, the wide variety of Member States’ individual requirements made the deployment of the free-of-charge IRU TIR Electronic Pre-declaration (IRU TIR-EPD) in all EU Member States for TIR Carnet Holders, next to impossible despite greatest efforts.

The IRU “B2C” Resolution therefore calls upon competent authorities to apply to “Business-to-Customs” IT data exchange the same standardised and harmonised communication and data protocols as those currently applied to Customs-to-Customs IT data exchange, notably on the EU territory.

The IRU “B2C” Resolution also calls for the implementation of appropriate IT standards in all TIR Contracting Parties regarding data requirements, messages to be exchanged, and communication protocols in order to guarantee the smooth entry into force of any new Customs-related regulation to remove these impediments to trade and economic development.

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