Formation of a permanent high-level committee between Baghdad and Erbil to unify customs duties and improve performance.
Formation of a permanent high-level committee between Baghdad and Erbil to unify customs duties and improve performance.
2025-08-04 07:14
Shafaq News – Baghdad
The Iraqi Ministerial Council for the Economy decided on Monday to form a permanent high-level committee between Baghdad and Erbil to unify efforts and develop customs operations across all border crossings.
This came during the 25th session of the Ministerial Economic Council chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Fuad Hussein, which was held at the Council building in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Planning Mohammed Tamim, the Ministers of Finance, Commerce, Agriculture, Industry, and Labor and Social Affairs, the Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers, the Governor of the Central Bank, the Chairman of the Securities Commission, the Deputy Chairman of the National Investment Commission, and the Prime Minister’s Advisor for Legal Affairs.
According to a statement received by Shafaq News Agency, the Council hosted the Chairman of the Border Ports Authority, the Director General, and the Director of the Legal Department of the Customs Authority in the Federal Government, and a delegation from the Kurdistan Region represented by the Advisor to the Ministry of Interior, the Director General of Customs, and the Director General of Relations at the Kurdistan Region Representation, to discuss Cabinet Resolution No. 270 of 2025 regarding customs tariffs and unification of fees across all Iraqi border crossings.
The statement indicated that the Council decided, after extensive discussions, to form a permanent committee headed by the Prime Minister’s Advisor for Border Crossings and Customs Affairs, and including representatives at the rank of Director General from the General Customs Authority in the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Trade, the Central Bank, the Border Crossings Authority, and two representatives from the Kurdistan Region, to unify efforts, conduct periodic evaluations, and provide observations and opinions in order to develop customs work at all border crossings.
The Kurdistan Regional Government specialists shall also submit their comments and suggestions regarding the above Cabinet decision within thirty days from the date of formation of the above committee.
The statement added that the Council also reviewed the World Bank report, along with the proposals and recommendations submitted by the committee responsible for studying the bank’s indicators on the business sector. These included taking the necessary measures to implement the reform paragraphs included in the executive plan within specific dates, particularly simplifying procedures, amending laws and legislation, improving services and the business and investment environment, and shifting to the use of digital technology in all transactions.
The Council approved the Ministry of Industry’s request to allow the Baghdad Petrochemical Refinery Company to export oxidized asphalt through the Trebil border crossing.
The Council also decided, according to the statement, to recommend to the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers, after obtaining the Prime Minister’s approval, to issue a circular exempting foreign companies from opening branches in Iraq if their activity is related to supply contracts or providing consulting.
shafaq.com
