Trade Services Archives

Mexico Customs Ports of Entry for ATA Carnets

Published on October 17, 2011

The Main Customs Offices are in BOLD. Unless otherwise indicated, locations available for both import
and export.

OfficesLocationsWeekdaysSaturdaySunday
TijuanaTijuana, International Line (Land)8am-4pm (Import)
8am-8pm (Export)		10am-4pm10am-4pm
“Gen.
Abelardo L. Rodríguez” Int’l Airport (Air)		9am-5pm9am-1pm9am-1pm
Ciudad
Juárez		Ciudad Juárez, Córdoba Bridge
(Land)		8am-9pm9am-3pmClosed
“Zaragoza
Isleta” Int’l Bridge (Land)		8am-9pm10am-3pmClosed
“San Jerónimo-Santa
Teresa” Crossing (Land)		9am-5pm9am-1pmClosed
Nuevo
Laredo		Nuevo
Laredo, World Trade Bridge (Land)		8am-12am (Import)
6am-11pm (Export)		8am-4pm (Import)
8am-3pm (Export)		10am-2pm
Tex-Mex Int’l Railway Bridge (Land)12am-12am12am-12am12am-12am
AltamiraAltamira
Industrial Port (Sea)		9am-8pm10am-2pmClosed
VeracruzVeracruz (Sea)8am-8pm (Import)
8am-6pm (Export)		8am-2pmClosed
“Gen.
Heriberto Jara Corona” Int’l Airport (Air)		8am-2pmClosedClosed
ManzanilloManzanillo, Port Authority
(Sea)		9am-9pm8am-3pmClosed
Manzanillo Int’l Railway Terminal
(Land)		12am-12am12am-5pm10am-11am
MonterreyMonterrey (Land)8am-8pmClosed
“Gen.
Mariano Escobedo” Int’l Airport (Air)		8am-8:30pm10am-2pmClosed
GuadalajaraGuadalajara, “Miguel Hidalgo”
Int’l Airport (Air)		8am-8pm9am-1pm (Import)
9am-3pm (Export)		Closed
Puerto
Vallarta (Sea)		8am-3pm9am-1pmClosed
Intermodal
Railway Terminal (Land)		8am-3pmClosedClosed
CancúnCancún Int’l Airport (Air)9am-3pmClosedClosed
Puerto
Morelos (Sea)		10am-3pmClosedClosed
Cozumel
Int’l Airport (Air)		8am-3pmClosedClosed
Mexico
City, Distrito Federal		“Benito Juárez” Mexico City Int’l
Airport (Air)		8am-8pm10am-2pmClosed
La Paz
(Cabo San Lucas)		International
Airport of Los Cabos and San Rosalia		8am-5pmClosedClosed
Customs of La Paz8am-8pmClosedClosed

United Arab Emirates to Expand ATA Carnet System to Abu Dhabi

Published on September 28, 2011
Abu Dhabi Corniche
Abu Dhabi Corniche

New York, N.Y., September 28, 2011 – The United States Council for International Business (USCIB) is pleased to announce that Abu Dhabi will start accepting ATA Carnets for the temporary admission of goods, beginning October 1. Last April the Dubai Chamber of Commerce became the 69th guaranteeing association in the ATA Carnet guarantee chain. Dubai was the first of the United Arab Emirates to welcome merchandise traveling under Carnets.

Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s capital city, has developed rapidly in recent years. Its population now maintains a high per-capita income, which has transformed Abu Dhabi into a large and advanced metropolis. USCIB, which issues and guarantees ATA Carnets in the United States, said the expansion, coupled with the emirate’s strong buying power, provided an excellent opportunity for American businesses to sell their products.

“UAE is a leader in international trade in the region and it continues to demonstrate this as it expands acceptance of the ATA Carnet,” said Cynthia Duncan, USCIB’s senior vice president for Carnet operations. “With strong buying power and numerous trade shows in Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s acceptance of Carnets should be a gain for U.S. companies from all industries.”  Goods travelling on ATA Carnets for display at exhibitions, fairs, meetings or similar events will be able to enter this emirate through the Abu Dhabi International Airport and the seaport of Zayed, according to USCIB.

ATA Carnets are merchandise passports that permit the duty-free, tax-free export of goods.  In 2009, the most recent year for which worldwide figures are available over 150,000 Carnets were issued, covering goods worth more than $17 billion (U.S.).  Prior to Abu Dhabi’s acceptance, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Mexico were the latest territories to join the worldwide system, which is overseen by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the World Customs Organization.

The UAE was the largest U.S. export market in the entire Middle East and North Africa region in 2009, and the 19th largest globally, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.  Transportation equipment, machinery, computers and electronics, and chemicals are the top U.S. exports to the country.  Since UAE joined the ATA Carnet system last April we have received significant demand for ATA Carnets for travel to Dubai and multiple requests for use in Abu Dhabi.

Exporters and business travelers interested in learning more about UAE’s acceptance of Carnets can visit the UAE page on USCIB’s ATA Carnet website, www.merchandisepassport.org/.

USCIB promotes open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility, supported by international engagement and prudent regulation.  Its members include top U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms from every sector of our economy, with operations in every region of the world.  With a unique global network encompassing leading international business organizations, including ICC, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide, and works to facilitate international trade and investment.  More information is available at www.uscib.org.

More on USCIB’s ATA Carnet Export Service

ICC Unveils New Rules of Arbitration

Published on September 14, 2011

Arbitration and ADR Rules

North American launch event next week in New York

New York, N.Y., September 14, 2011 – The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has launched a much-anticipated revised version of its Rules of arbitration, with the aim of better serving the existing and future needs of businesses and governments engaged in international commerce and investment, according to the United States Council for International Business (USCIB), ICC’s American national committee.

The new Rules, which will come into force on January 1, 2012, take into account current requirements and developments in arbitration practice and procedure, as well as developments in information technology, since they were last revised in 1998.  They will be the subject of a two-day conference next week in New York, organized by the ICC International Court of Arbitration and USCIB.

Additions to the Rules include provisions to address disputes involving multiple contracts and parties; updated case management procedures; the appointment of an emergency arbitrator to order urgent measures; and changes to facilitate the handling of disputes arising under investment treaties and free trade agreements.  Other amendments have also been made to ensure that the arbitral process is conducted in an expeditious and cost-effective manner.

In response to growing demand for a more holistic approach to dispute resolution techniques, the new Rules are published in a booklet that also includes the ICC ADR Rules, which provide for mediation and other forms of amicable dispute resolution.  Both sets of Rules define a structured, institutional framework intended to ensure transparency, efficiency and fairness in the dispute resolution process while allowing parties to exercise their choice over many aspects of procedure.

“It is one of the principal aims of the International Court of Arbitration to ensure that its Rules promote efficiency in the arbitral process and that they reflect current practice, consistent with the overriding objective of doing justice between the parties,” said John Beechey, chairman of the ICC International Court of Arbitration.  “To the extent that it was thought necessary to do so, new measures and procedures have been introduced, such that the 2012 Rules of Arbitration respond to today’s business needs while remaining faithful to the ethos, and retaining the essential features, of ICC Arbitration.”

A highly anticipated launch conference, to be held in New York on September 19 and 20, will provide participants with a comprehensive overview of the changes to the Rules and a valuable chance to have direct interaction with several drafting group experts.  Conference information and registration is available at www.iccnorthamerica.org.

“This conference will unveil and explain the changes made to the ICC Rules, and will be the first opportunity for practitioners to acquire a comprehensive overview of the changes made,” according to Josefa Sicard-Mirabal, director of the ICC International Court of Arbitration’s North American office in New York.  “Participants will have the rare opportunity to learn from practitioners who participated actively in the rules revision process in preparation for the entry into force of the new ICC Rules on January 1, 2012.”

An earlier sold-out launch conference took place in Paris on September 12.  Other launch events are scheduled for Hong Kong (October 10), Singapore (October 12), Dubai (October 31), and Miami (November 6).  The Miami event, which will bring arbitration experts, legal practitioners and business executives from throughout Latin America, is also being co-organized by the ICC International Court of Arbitration and USCIB.

The revision process began in 2008 and was undertaken by a small drafting committee of up to 20 members, supported by a wider task force of 202 members and a consultation process with ICC national committees around the world and the ICC Commission on Arbitration.

“A great many dispute resolution specialists and corporate users from different legal traditions, cultures and professions had an opportunity to comment on the drafts, make suggestions and record their views,” said Jason Fry, secretary general of the ICC International Court of Arbitration.  “With this revision of the rules we have tried, in particular, to listen to the users of international arbitration, whether they come from business or government.  Many of the new provisions in the rules have been shaped with their input.”

Peter Wolrich, chairman of the ICC Commission on Arbitration and managing partner with the French law firm Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle, said: “The International Court of Arbitration is at the cutting edge of change, continuously working to promote greater efficiency through the innovative design of new tools and procedures. The new Rules meet the growing complexity of today’s business transactions, the needs surrounding disputes involving states, and the demand for greater speed and cost-efficiency.”

The Rules are available in several languages and are intended for use by parties in any part of the world in proceedings conducted in any language and subject to any rules of law.  To download a free copy of the ICC Rules of Arbitration, please visit www.iccwbo.org/ICCDRSRules.  To register for any of the upcoming launch conferences or training sessions, visit www.iccwbo.org/events.

ICC is not only a trusted provider of arbitration but also of other dispute resolution services. The launch of the new Rules coincides with the launch of the ICC International Center for ADR, previously informally known as the ICC “green services.”  The Center oversees ICC Amicable Dispute Resolution, Expertise, Dispute Boards and DOCDEX (Documentary Instruments Dispute Resolution Expertise), helping to secure settlements efficiently with minimal loss of time and resources.

About ICC

The International Chamber of Commerce is the largest, most representative business organization in the world. Its hundreds of thousands of member companies in over 120 countries have interests spanning every sector of private enterprise.  A world network of national committees keeps the ICC International Secretariat in Paris informed about national and regional business priorities. More than 2,000 experts drawn from ICC’s member companies feed their knowledge and experience into crafting the ICC stance on specific business issues.  The United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the G20 and many other intergovernmental bodies, both international and regional, are kept in touch with the views of international business through ICC.  For more information please visit www.iccwbo.org.

About USCIB

USCIB promotes open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility, supported by international engagement and prudent regulation.  Its members include top U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms from every sector of our economy, with operations in every region of the world.  With a unique global network encompassing leading international business organizations, including ICC, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide, and works to facilitate international trade and investment.  More information is available at www.uscib.org.

ICC International Court of Arbitration website

More on USCIB’s Arbitration Committee

Mexico City Welcomes Chambers of Commerce From Around the World

Published on June 23, 2011
Mexican President Felipe Calderon addressing delegates to the 7th World Chambers Congress.
Mexican President Felipe Calderon addressing delegates to the 7th World Chambers Congress.

Some 1,200 participants from chambers of commerce and other business groups in over 100 countries gathered in Mexico City June 8-10 for the 7th World Chambers Congress, organized by the USCIB affiliate the International Chamber of Commerce, ICC’s World Chambers Federation (WCF) and the Mexico City National Chamber of Commerce (CANACO).

Under the theme of “Enterprise – Network – Prosperity,” the congress comprised plenary sessions and an array of practical workshops relevant to the chamber and business community. It also provided plentiful networking opportunities to position the congress as the most important event of the year on the chamber calendar.

Major addresses were given by Mexican President Felipe Calderon, ICC Chairman Gerard Worms, USCIB Chairman and ICC Vice Chairman Harold McGraw III and CANACO President Arturo Mendicutti Narro. The congress also featured world-renowned speakers including Muhtar Kent, CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, and environmental researcher Rajendra Pachauri, the chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

USCIB Chairman Harold McGraw III (right) with World Chambers Federation Chairman Rona Yircali of Turkey.
USCIB Chairman Harold McGraw III (right) with World Chambers Federation Chairman Rona Yircali of Turkey.

Delegates had the chance to develop new business opportunities and interact with the region’s leading companies from the oil, agriculture, trade and services sectors. Among the many developments at the congress, ICC and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) signed an agreement to work together across a wide number of projects encompassing trade and investment, banking and sustainable development. ICC and the IDB agreed to develop projects to help private sector development in Latin America and the Caribbean, including the generation and dissemination of state-of-the-art knowledge, capacity-building activities and joint projects.

G20 Advisory Group meets

t a meeting on the sidelines of the congress, the recently launched ICC G20 Advisory Group consulted with global companies to consolidate business positions on a host of issues for delivery at this fall’s G20 summit in France. Participants at the meeting included USCIB Chairman McGraw, who is also chairman, president and CEO of The McGraw-Hill Companies, and Mexican Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Maria de Lourdes Aranda Bezaury, along with other CEOs and chambers of commerce leaders representing businesses large and small.

Launched in May, the ICC G20 Advisory Group will hold similar meetings in Doha, Hong Kong and Zurich in the coming months, bringing together business leaders and CEOs from major global corporations and SMEs worldwide. The G20 Advisory Group will focus on G20 issues as set by the host country France, as well as on priorities the group wishes to see addressed, including trade, investment and development, strengthening financial regulation, fighting corruption, reforming the international monetary system, reducing commodity price volatility and green growth.

In addition to Mr. McGraw, USCIB was represented at the congress by President and CEO Peter Robinson, Senior Vice President for Carnet Operations Cynthia Duncan and Carnet Development Manager Amanda Barlow.

ATA Carnet workshop

Participants in the ATA Carnet workshop. Mexico recently began accepting these time-saving customs documents.
Participants in the ATA Carnet workshop. Mexico recently began accepting these time-saving customs documents.

During the opening day of the congress, a workshop on ATA Carnet brought in representatives of potential member countries. Kenya, Philippines, Brazil and Honduras were all present while Carnet member-country representatives including USCIB’s Ms. Duncan presented their experiences.  ATA Carnet is an international customs document – a passport for goods – which permits duty and tax free temporary export/import of commercial samples, professional equipment and goods for exhibitions and fairs. ATA Carnets are offered by chambers of commerce and similar business organizations to traders, sales professionals, exhibitors and other international business travelers.

The second session of the morning was devoted to face-to-face discussions between ATA Carnet experts and chamber representatives interested in learning more about the practical operation of the system.

On to Qatar in 2013

At a special award ceremony held on the closing day of the ceremony, winners of the 2011 World Chambers Competition were announced. Open to all chambers, the competition aims to encourage innovation by showcasing chamber projects that have had a positive impact on their respective communities, and that can potentially be adopted by others. Entries were received from 72 chambers from 41 countries under the categories of Best Unconventional project; Best Small Business project; Best International project and Best Corporate Social Responsibility project. For full details on the World Chambers Competition including winners or to read all projects submitted, please visit www.worldchamberscompetition.org.

The Congress concluded with a gala dinner featuring a video presentation of Qatar, destination of the 8th World Chambers Congress in 2013. Entertainment followed with world class Mexican singers and mariachis.

Staff contact: Cynthia Duncan

More on the 7th World Chambers Congress

More on USCIB’s ATA Carnet Export Service

Celebrating World Trade Week 2011 in New York

Published on May 23, 2011
Award winner Shazy Visram, founder and CEO of HappyBaby Foods (center). USCIB’s Cynthia Duncan is at far right.
Award winner Shazy Visram, founder and CEO of HappyBaby Foods (center). USCIB’s Cynthia Duncan is at far right.

USCIB once again played a lead role in organizing World Trade Week celebrations in New York City, which took place last week.  Working under the theme of “Global Markets: Now More Than Ever,” New York-area international trade organizations put on a full week’s worth of exciting and informative activities highlighting the world of international trade in the New York Metro area.

The week kicked off with a gala reception at the International Trade Awards Breakfast on May 16, hosted by the Weissman Center for International Business at Baruch College.  Awards were presented to local companies HappyBaby Foods, TurboFil Packaging Machines, Gotham Sound and Communications, the Judge Organization, Signature Fencing, If You Care and Snohetta. The New York District Export Council and the World Trade Centers Association were also honored.

Jim Guzzi of Gotham Sound and Communications (left), a Carnet user and World Trade Week award winner.
Jim Guzzi of Gotham Sound and Communications (left), a Carnet user and World Trade Week award winner.

Cynthia Duncan, USCIB’s senior vice president for Carnet operations, was a member of the organizing team for World Trade Week NYC.

 

Staff contact: Cynthia Duncan

World Trade Week NYC website

 More on USCIB’s ATA Carnet Export Service

Mexico to Accept “Merchandise Passports” for Temporary Imports

Published on May 12, 2011

Spanish | español

mexico_puzzleNew York, N.Y., May 12, 2011 – Business travelers to Mexico can soon take advantage of a new tool to expedite and reduce the cost of taking goods temporarily into the country. Starting May 16, the country begins accepting ATA Carnets, the “merchandise passports” honored in some 80 countries and customs territories, according to the United States Council for International Business (USCIB), which issues and guarantees the internationally recognized customs documents in the U.S.

Mexico will accept Carnets for professional equipment, demonstration samples and goods for trade shows. A single Carnet can be used to take goods to any accepting country for up to one year, duty-free and tax-free, so long as the goods are not sold and leave the country in the same condition in which they were brought in.  More information is available at www.merchandisepassport.org.

“For years, Carnet users have told us that the biggest gap in the system was Mexico,” said Cynthia Duncan, USCIB’s senior vice president for Carnet services. “Now, that gap has been filled. It should mean a big boost for business travel and sales in the country and throughout Latin America.”

Mexico is the United States’ second-largest export market and third-largest trading partner overall. Top U.S. exports to Mexico include electrical machinery, vehicles, auto parts, plastics, aircrafts and airplane parts.

Until recently, Mexico and other Latin American countries were outliers in the international Carnet system, which had its origins in Europe a half-century ago. But Chile’s decision a few years ago to accept Carnets, coupled with Mexico’s move, opens the region to this innovative and valuable service.

Worldwide, more than 160,000 Carnets are issued every year, accounting for hundreds of thousands of customs declarations and covering goods with a total value of over $20 billion (U.S.). The Carnet system is overseen by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the World Customs Organization.

Joining Mexico as the newest members of the ATA Carnet system are Bosnia and Herzegovina, which joined on April 18, and the United Arab Emirates, which began accepting Carnets on April 1.

USCIB promotes open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility, supported by international engagement and prudent regulation. Its members include top U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms from every sector of our economy, with operations in every region of the world. With a unique global network encompassing leading international business organizations, including ICC, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide, and works to facilitate international trade and investment. More at www.uscib.org.

Contact:
Cynthia Duncan, SVP Carnet Operations, USCIB
+1 212.703.5079 or cduncan@uscib.org

More on USCIB’s ATA Carnet Export Service

Spanish | español

México acepta el pasaporte para mercancías para importaciones temporales el 11 de mayo de 2011

Published on May 11, 2011

English | ingles

mexico_puzzleNueva York, N.Y., el 11 de mayo de 2011 – Muy pronto, los viajeros de negocios a México podrán beneficiarse de un nuevo instrumento para agilizar y minimizar los costos de llevar mercancías al extranjero. A partir del 16 de mayo, México aceptará el Carnet ATA, el “pasaporte para mercancías” reconocido en 80 países y territorios aduaneros, de acuerdo al United States Council for International Business (USCIB), el cual emite y garantiza este documento aduanero internacionalmente aceptado.

México aceptará el uso de Carnets ATA para internar al país equipos profesionales, muestras comerciales y productos para ferias. Un mismo Carnet puede ser utilizado para llevar mercancías a cualquier país participante por hasta un año, sin pago de aranceles o impuestos. El único requisito es que las mercancías no se vendan y que salgan del país en el mismo estado en que fueron importadas. Para más detalles, visitar: www.merchandisepassport.org.

“Por años, los usuarios de Carnets ATA nos decían que el vacío más grande en el sistema era México,” dice Cynthia Duncan, vicepresidente principal para servicios de Carnets en el USCIB. “Ahora, se ha llenado esta ausencia. Debe considerarse como un gran estímulo para negocios en el país y en toda Latinoamérica.”

México es el segundo mercado más grande para productos de exportación y el tercer socio comercial de los Estados Unidos. Los artículos más exportados a México incluyen maquinaria eléctrica, vehículos, piezas para automóviles, materiales plásticos, aviones y piezas aeronáuticas.

Hasta hace poco, México y otros países latinoamericanos se encontraban en la periferia del sistema internacional del Carnet ATA, el cual se originó en Europa hace medio siglo. Sin embargo la decisión por parte de Chile de aceptar Carnets en 2005, junto con la reciente incorporación en México, abre la región latinoamericana a este innovador y valioso servicio.

En el mundo, cada año se emiten más de 160,000 Carnets, representando cientos de miles de declaraciones de aduanas y cubriendo mercancías por más de $20 mil millones de dólares. A nivel internacional, el sistema Carnet ATA es manejado por la Cámara de Comercio Internacional (CCI) y por la Organización Mundial de Aduanas.

Junto con México, otros nuevos países miembros del sistema Carnet ATA son Bosnia y Herzegovina a partir del 18 de abril y los Emiratos Árabes Unidos desde el 1ro de abril de este año.

El USCIB promueve el mercado libre, la competitividad y la innovación, el desarrollo sustentable y la responsabilidad corporativa, todos apoyados por el compromiso internacional y la reglamentación prudencial. Sus miembros incluyen a las principales empresas internacionales estadounidenses y compañías de servicios profesionales de cada sector de nuestra economía, con operaciones en todas las regiones del mundo. Con una red mundial única que comprende organizaciones líderes de comercio internacional, incluyendo la CCI, el USCIB comparte puntos de vista de negocios con quienes diseñan las políticas y con las autoridades reguladoras por todo el mundo, y se empeña en facilitar el comercio y la inversión internacional. Para más detalles, www.uscib.org

Contacte con:
Cynthia Duncan, SVP Carnet Operations, USCIB
+1 212 703.5079 o cduncan@uscib.org

Más en “ATA Carnet Export Service”

English | ingles

ATA video

Published on May 6, 2011

4025_image002CNN news article Lisbon in Fast Forward

A day in the life of the CNN crew using an ATA Carnet to clear Portugal Customs to cover the president’s NATO trip. The news crew, the Carnet and the President all fly on Air Force One.

ATA Carnet – The Passport for Goods

Ad promoting the ATA Carnet, the “passport for goods” issued and guaranteed by USCIB that permits temporary duty-free, tax-free entry of goods for trade shows, professional equipment and other merchandise.

UAE to Further Boost Status as Trade Hub by Accepting ‘Merchandise Passports’

Published on April 11, 2011
Dubai’s modern skyline. The city plays host to some 200 trade shows each year.
Dubai’s modern skyline. The city plays host to some 200 trade shows each year.

New York, N.Y., April 11, 2011 – The U. S. Council for International Business (USCIB) begins issuing ATA Carnets
to UAE on April 12, making the federation the 69th country to join the worldwide system for duty-free, tax-free temporary imports. The USCIB administers, guarantees and issues Carnets in the United States.

The UAE will begin by accepting goods for trade shows and fairs, according to Cynthia Duncan, USCIB’s senior vice president for Carnet operations.  “It is an important step in linking UAE businesses to the wider global marketplace,” she said.  “With some 200 trade shows annually in Dubai, the UAE’s acceptance of Carnets should be a boon for U.S. companies from all industries.”

ATA Carnets are merchandise passports that permit the duty-free, tax-free export of goods.  In 2009, the most recent year for which worldwide figures are available, over 150,000 Carnets were issued, covering goods worth more than $17 billion (U.S.).  Prior to the UAE’s decision, Moldova and Macao were the latest territories to join the worldwide system, which is overseen by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the World Customs Organization.

USCIB said the announcement was made last month by the director general of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, Hamad Buamim, and his counterpart from the UAE’s foreign trade ministry, Abdullah Al-Saleh.  The Dubai Chamber will assume responsibility for issuing and guaranteeing Carnets throughout the UAE.

The UAE was the largest U.S. export market in the entire Middle East and North Africa region in 2009, and the 19th largest globally, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.  Transportation equipment, machinery, computers and electronics, and chemicals are the top U.S. exports to the country.  Ms. Duncan said she expected overall two-way trade to grow and diversify further in view of the decision to accept merchandise passports.

Exporters and business travelers interested in learning more about UAE’s acceptance of Carnets can visit our UAE page on our website.

Contact:

Cynthia Duncan, SVP Carnet Operations, USCIB

(212) 703-5079 or cduncan@uscib.org

More on USCIB’s ATA Carnet Export Service

Bosnia and Herzegovina Join ATA Carnet

Published on April 11, 2011
Mostar the second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Mostar the second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina

New York, N.Y., April 11, 2011 – Starting April 18th Bosnia and Herzegovina will begin accepting ATA Carnets for duty-free, tax-free temporary imports, according to the United States Council for International Business (USCIB), which administers and guarantees Carnets in the United States.

This is an important achievement for the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) as Bosnia and Herzegovina featured among the top 10 priority target countries identified by the network of world ATA Carnet organizations.

ATA Carnets are merchandise passports that permit the duty-free, tax-free export of goods.  In 2009, the most recent year for which worldwide figures are available, over 150,000 Carnets were issued, covering goods worth more than $17 billion (U.S.).  Prior to the Bosnia’s decision, Moldova, Macao and UAE were the latest territories to join the worldwide system, which is overseen by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the World Customs Organization.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a very significant importer of US medical equipment and agricultural machinery, as well as military apparel and footwear. “Bosnia’s decision to accept Carnets and become the 70th member further solidifies their use in southeastern Europe,” according to Cynthia Duncan, USCIB’s senior vice president for Carnet operations. “Among the nations of former Yugoslavia, only Kosovo remains outside the system.”

Exporters and business travelers interested in learning more about Bosnia and Herzegovina’s acceptance of Carnets can visit our Bosnia and Herzegovina page on our website.

Contact:

Cynthia Duncan, SVP Carnet Operations, USCIB

(212) 703-5079 or cduncan@uscib.org

More on USCIB’s ATA Carnet Export Service