ATA Carnet
ATA Carnet system expands thanks to Qatar and Qatar Chamber
The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) is pleased to welcome Qatar as the 78th country to implement the ATA Carnet system. Simultaneously, the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry has also become the 77th member of the International ATA Carnet Guarantee Chain. Both announcements were made during a council meeting hosted by ICC’s World Chambers Federation (WCF) in Xi’an, China last week.
A combination of French and English terms meaning “Admission Temporaire” or “Temporary Admission,” an ATA Carnet is an international customs document that allows for the duty- and tax-free temporary import of goods for up to one year. Set to enter into force as of 1 August, the application of the ATA system will strengthen Qatar’s status as a global investment destination, and attract events and exhibitions. It also serves as an important trading tool for Qatari businesses, enabling them to further develop their export capabilities.
Commenting on behalf of the ICC WCF World ATA Carnet Council (WATAC), the working body charged with administering the international guarantee chain for ATA Carnets, Chair Ruedi Bolliger said: “We are very excited to have Qatar join the ATA Carnet system. We have been working closely with the Qatar Chamber of Commerce for this to happen and now businesses from ATA countries and economies can finally start benefitting from the new opportunities that this customs document gives them. Starting with goods for exhibitions and fairs, we believe the implementation will give Qatar enough confidence to expand the scope of application to other main categories of goods in the near future.”
Stressing the importance of ATA Carnet in advancing the cause for open trade, Sheikha Tamadar, Director of International Relations and Chambers’ Affairs at the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and ICC Qatar, said: “The State of Qatar’s accession to the [system] is a testimony to its adherence to [open] trade, and to its belief in the importance of the free movement of goods and services around the world.”
The ATA Carnet system was a joint initiative created by ICC WCF and the World Customs Organization (WCO) in 1961 to encourage international trade. The system is bolstered by the ATA Carnet Guarantee Chain, a dedicated group of chambers and business organisations appointed by their national Customs authority to issue and guarantee Carnets. Kazakhstan and Brazil were the most recent countries to join the ATA system.
In July 2017, ICC WCF moved closer to creating a digitalised ATA Carnet system and related business processes.
