(MENAFN- Trend News Agency)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb. 16
By Sadraddin Aghjayev - Trend:
Azerbaijan is completing the process of integrating the
requirements of the Quality Charter for International Road Haulage
Operations into the domestic legislation, Anar Rzayev, head of the
Azerbaijani State Road transport Service, said in an interview with
Trend .
Rzayev said that the application of the requirements of the
Quality Charter in Azerbaijan will contribute to the development of
the road transport sector and will give a big impetus to the
process of increasing the competitiveness of Azerbaijani carriers
in the international road transport market.
Moreover, Rzayev stressed that earlier there were a number of
shortcomings related to the transparency in the distribution of
permit applications in Azerbaijan.
“In this regard, the necessary measures were taken to achieve
full transparency in the issuance of permit applications and to
ensure public participation in this process,” the head of the
Azerbaijani State Road Transport Service added.“Presently, a
special commission is engaged in issuing permit applications. It
operates under the Azerbaijan International Road Carriers
Association (ABADA) and includes all corresponding sides, namely,
state structures, associations, and private carriers.”
Rzayev said that the stimulation of business in the field of
road transport, the process of ensuring free competition among
carriers, the creation of favorable conditions for increasing the
competitiveness of local carriers in the international transport
market and the process of preventing monopoly can be called the
main goal.
“On the other hand, we regulate the access to the international
road transport market, which is in full compliance with the
requirements of the Quality Charter, being implemented within the
multilateral quota system of the international transport forum, in
which Azerbaijan is a member,” head of the State Road Transport
Service added.
“I would like to stress that the improvement of the process of
issuing permit applications creates favorable conditions for the
development of the free competitive environment, increasing the
professionalism of carriers and drivers and improving Azerbaijan's
position in international rankings,” Rzayev said.
The head of the State Road Transport Service said that depending
on the demand for permit applications, they are defined as scarce,
those having special scarcity and non-deficient.
“The permit applications having special scarcity are issued on
the basis of an international consignment note or other documents
issued for transportation on the basis of a specific fact,” Rzayev
said.“The scarce and non-deficient permit applications are issued
according to the number of cars or according to their share in the
local market.”
The head of the State Road Transport Service said that the
distribution of permit applications for non-deficit two-way/transit
transportation includes the maximum possible number of trips of the
carrier's cars in the specified direction.
“It is assumed that the carrier can make a maximum of 3.5 trips
to Iran and Georgia, 2.5 trips to Russia and Turkey and 1.5 trips
to other countries per month,” Rzayev said.“The distribution of
permit applications upon the abovementioned methods creates the
conditions for ensuring the principle of transparency and
fairness.”
The head of the State Road Transport Service said that during
cargo transportation, permit applications are exchanged between the
countries.
“There is a certain limit because permit applications are
exchanged with other countries in accordance with the established
quota,” Rzayev said.“For this reason, as I have already mentioned,
depending on the demand and the quantity determined upon the quota,
the applications are divided into three categories, namely, scarce,
non-deficient and those having special scarcity.”
The head of the State Road Transport Service said that however,
despite this limitation, some carriers require a big number of
scarce applications and applications having special scarcity.
“However, it is necessary to take into account that the issuance
of more applications than that indicated in the quota to one
carrier may decrease the number of applications for another
carrier, which in turn will dissatisfy the carrier,” Rzayev said.
“In this regard, some carriers are dissatisfied that the
applications are not distributed as they want.”
“I would like to stress that the periodic meetings are held with
the dissatisfied carriers and they are provided with detailed
information about the principles of distribution,” the head of the
State Road Transport Service said.“Four meetings have been held
with 70 carriers in groups, as well as individuals over the past
three months.”
The head of the State Road Transport Service said that these
applications are exchanged on a parity basis, determined on the
basis of quotas, depending on the volume of traffic between the
countries.
Rzayev added that there are big difficulties with the increase
in the number of applications from/to third countries, which is
associated with the desire of these countries to protect their
international road transport market.
“The increase in the quota for such applications actually
reduces the market share of these carriers, which also applies to
the applications from/to a third country issued by the Azerbaijani
side,” the head of the State Road Transport Service said.
Rzayev said that ITF applications are distributed among
member-states in accordance with the quota established by the
International Transport Forum (ITF) and since May 2015 - the
Quality Charter within the multilateral quota system.
“As the Russian side is not greatly interested in ITF permit
applications, the permit applications, which were not accepted by
carriers, were redistributed and offered to the interested
carriers,” the head of the State Road Transport Service said.
“Moreover, I would like to stress that about 500 ITF applications
remained unused in the previous years. Almost all permit
applications have been distributed among carriers as a result of
the redistribution mechanism, introduced in 2022.”
“I also would like to stress that the vast majority of carriers,
even many big carriers, are not well aware of the rules for using
ITF permit applications,” Rzayev said.“As a result, our carriers
are being regularly fined in partner countries for using ITF permit
applications. We plan to conduct training to eliminate such
cases.”
“Moreover, according to the warning letters sent by the ITF
Secretariat, the permit quota for Azerbaijan may be limited because
the ITF applications are used by some carriers who do not comply
with the requirements of the Quality Charter,” the head of the
State Road Transport Service said.
The head of the State Road Transport Service said that in this
regard, the measures will be taken at the next stage to hold
training for the carriers using ITF applications to comply with the
requirements of the Quality Charter and applications will be
distributed only among carriers who meet these requirements next
year.
“I would like to stress that a number of countries have already
implemented the requirements of the Quality Charter in their
domestic legislation,” Rzayev said.“This process has also begun in
Azerbaijan and is under completion. The application of the
requirements of the Quality Charter in Azerbaijan will contribute
to the development of the road transport sector and will give a big
impetus to the process of increasing the competitiveness of
Azerbaijani carriers in the international road transport
market.”
The head of the State Road Transport Service said that the
measures are being taken to develop the corresponding software and
fully automate the process to further improve the procedure for
issuing the permit applications.
“This program will envisage the creation of e-cabinets for
carriers, the process of processing applications through this
cabinet, posting the results of distribution in the e-cabinet,”
Rzayev said.“It will also simplify the access of carriers to get
the applications. An effective, stable and reliable management
system will be created and the applications will be effectively
used.”
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