International Forum

on the Role of Customs Administrations

on Promoting and Facilitating Trade Among Silk Road Countries

Antalya Declaration

Antalya, Turkey, 25 October 2008

We, the Heads of Customs Administrations, or designated representatives thereof, of (participating countries in alphabetical order),present in this Forum,are gathered in Antalya, Turkeyto advance our common vision of achieving promoting and facilitating trade among our countries.

We are convinced that, as the traditional trade route of Eurasia, the Silk Road could be successfully revitalised to function as a fast and effective alternative way for international trade by means of certain infrastructural and organisational revisions as well as a strengthened cultural agenda among customs authorities.In this respect, measures to be developed and implemented by customs administrations have quite a crucial role in the revival of Silk Road’s promising potential.

We agree that high-quality customs services are important ways to achieve fast and smooth trade, and require for a work to pursue transparency and consistency in regional trade environment. We believe that a technical preoccupation on a set of trade-facilitating measures in our respective administrations might deliver a roadmap for the development of convergent formalities for as many commonly accepted practices as possible.

Being conscious of the evolving international trade system and its priorities, it would appear advisable that international conventions and standards set by the organisations such as UNECE, WCO, UNCTAD etc. should be well studied and benefited so as to meet our both individual and regional needs and priorities for simplifying the customs procedures and foreign trade processes.

We underscore the necessity of a joint approach to our common concerns regarding customs mission and of exertionof our utmost efforts to bridge the various gaps and differences existing in our customs legislations and practices. We also recognise that addressing the challenges of landlockedness calls for both domestic and collaborative initiatives to generate a more business-friendly environment, and agree to conduct a study of ways to confront the challenges and impediments related to geographical and logistical hindrances,

We take note of the recommendations from the business community that are represented in the Forum and welcome, in particular, call for further reductions in trade transaction costs, a comprehensive work on border-passage facilitation, anti-corruption and predictable, non-discriminatory and secure trade opportunities. To this end, we will continue to work with the business sector in our venture towards the revival of the Silk Road by improving the business environment. Furthermore, in recognition of the paramount importance of strong integrity of officials, we agree to intensify regional cooperation to combat against corruption and bribery.

We note thatorganised illegal acts, including those serving to terrorism, constitute a substantial challenge to customs administrations’ goals of advancing legitimate trade relations as well as protecting society and ensuring supply chain security.

Having considered that the illegal human trafficking potentially delivers incompatible consequences to humanity and is a violation of national laws, we recognize that it, through our joint boundaries, could be better overcome by our common efforts.

To the end of revitalisation of the historical Silk Roadand responding to new challenges that emerged from the evolving international trade environment, we declare the following common goals of us :

  • Achieving more transparent and streamlined customs formalities;
  • Strengthening collective and individual initiatives under the revitalisation concept;
  • Endeavouring to establish border cooperation schemes with neighbouring countries;
  • Improving customs-business partnership;
  • Sharing experience among us on capacity buildingand anti-corruption in customs;
  • Exertingjoint efforts to suppress illegal commercial activities and human trafficking.
  • Working on adherence to international conventions on facilitation;
  • Support for both regional and global trade facilitation efforts;.

With this commitment, we dedicate ourselvesto ensure a more transparent and secure business environment in our region in order to lay a stepping stone towards our vision.

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