IRU calls on President Putin to prevent TIR withdrawal on Russian territory

The International Road Transport Union (IRU) is forced to inform President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir V. Putin, of IRU’s legal obligation to stop issuance of TIR Carnets to Russian transport operators if no progress is achieved to prolong the current TIR guarantee agreement and fully reinstate the TIR procedure at all Customs offices of entry into Russia by 1 July 2014.

 The International Road Transport Union (IRU) addressed a letter on 18 June to Russian President, Vladimir V. Putin, to inform him of the negative consequences following the IRU’s legal obligation to stop the issuance of TIR Carnets to Russian transport operators as of 1 July 2014, 00:00 GMT, if no progress is achieved to prolong the current TIR guarantee agreement and fully reinstate the TIR procedure on Russian territory. Furthermore, the IRU also informed President Putin that it would be obliged to invalidate an estimated 70,000 Russian TIR Carnets already in circulation, which would unfortunately prevent Russian operators from performing transport operations under TIR, in any TIR operational country, which would have a further negative impact on Russian trade.

IRU President Janusz Lacny wrote: “This situation continues to negatively affect both foreign and Russian trade and transport operators…the IRU would like to appeal once again to Your Excellency, in line with international law and in the clear interest of the Russian economy, to take appropriate steps towards the Federal Customs Service of the Russian Federation (FCS RF) to ensure that the TIR agreement between the FCS RF and ASMAP is extended at least until the completion of the current tender process and that TIR is fully reinstated at all Customs offices of entry into the Russian Federation before 1 July 2014.”

This decision follows a similar call upon the Russian Federation made by Contracting Parties to the TIR Convention during high level sessions of the UN TIR Bodies (WP.30 and AC.2), held last week in Geneva from 10-13 June.

In his opening address at the AC.2, Acting Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Michael Møller invited the TIR Contracting Parties to make every effort to ensure the full and unconditional reinstatement of the TIR System on the territory of the Russian Federation, in accordance with the TIR Convention, and in keeping with responsibility to uphold the rule of law at the international level. Indeed, the Russian Federal Customs Service has continued to extend TIR restrictions progressively since 4 July 2013, in spite of the unanimous opposition voiced by the Russian business community, repeated clear decisions from the Supreme Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation against the FCS RF, as well as appeals from numerous governments and international organisations, including the United Nations bodies.

The IRU remains hopeful that a solution will be found before 1 July and reiterates its readiness to continue working together with all competent authorities of the Russian Federation in order to find a definitive and long term solution to the existing crisis and to ensure the uninterrupted functioning of the TIR Convention in the Russian Federation in the interest of the Russian state, economy and all Russian TIR stakeholders.

Watch the UNECE Acting Executive Secretary’s opening address.

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