GEORGIA SIMPLIFIES CUSTOMS AND ROAD PROCEDURES FOR ARMENIAN CARGO TRANSIT
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 17. ARMINFO. In Mar 2005 Georgia will significantly
simplify its customs and road procedures for Armenian cargo transit in
terms of both quoting and taxation, says Levan Jagarkava, the chief
of the customs control and methodology department of the customs
department of Georgia’s Finance Ministry.
Jan 1 2005 Georgia is enforcing its new tax code envisaging only 8
instead of 18 taxes. The code cuts the tax tariff for individuals
crossing the border and is unifies cargo and vehicle clearance
procedures for them. Georgia is not only simplifying its customs
procedures but is also improving its customs infrastructure. The
customs service personnel has been cut from 2,500 to 900 people in
the last year while the customs duty collection has grown from $15-17
mln to $40 mln a year.
The president of the Center for regional Development Transaprency
International Amalia Kostanyan says that Georgia’s reforms will
tangibly boost the trade between Armenia and Georgia.
In Jan-Oct 2004 the Armenian-Georgian trade turnover totalled $59.7
mln which was 3.6% of Armenia’s foreign trade and 38.6% more than
in Jan-Oct 2003. The Armenian exports was $20.49 mln the Georgian
imports $39.2 mln.