The application of new approaches for the preparation of customs declarations in the “smart-customs” system for goods imported into Azerbaijan via e-commerce starting from June 1 of this year will increase the level of compliance with the rules when using established concessions.
This was stated by Shahin Bagirov, Chairman of the State Customs Committee (SCC) and Colonel-General of the Customs Service, in an interview with “Elchi” Information Agency and “Ictimai TV”.
“The identification process is now carried out via “ASAN Imza”, “SIMA”, and “MyGOV QR”. This both increases transparency and raises the level of compliance with the rules when using concessions established by our state.
We are confident that those who abuse this type of trade will henceforth bring goods from foreign countries only for personal use, and in cases of commercial intent, they will declare them in the standard manner and pay the relevant customs duties to the state budget,” emphasized Sh. Bagirov.
According to him, the purchase of goods via e-commerce channels is mainly carried out by individuals. “I would like to disclose the figures here as well. In 2025, this indicator covered more than 1.2 million people – they acquired various items from foreign countries within the framework of simplified rules via e-commerce. The total volume of this amounts to 501 million US dollars. This is a significant figure. 16 million declarations have been submitted by these citizens. This is the volume of goods brought in through simplified procedures, and if we look at the experience of countries located in the nearby geography, Azerbaijan holds a leading position in this field.
Our country is at the forefront in terms of supporting citizen-oriented, socially-oriented trade, and e-commerce. Along with this, of course, compliance with the rules is necessary here, because e-commerce in itself does not mean that any product can be brought in completely freely. The rules must be followed – the customs value must be correctly indicated in the declaration. The principle of consistency is important here, because in a number of cases, some citizens tend to abuse this. They bring numerous goods into the country under the guise of personal use, and as a result, they evade customs duties. To prevent this, we believe that we are informing businesses about this and organizing meetings with them.”
The SCC Chairman recalled that there are 6 methods for determining customs value. These methods are established by international norms, and it is precisely these methods that are referred to during customs valuation, and calculations are carried out based on them, he noted.
“One of the most essential of these 6 methods is the transaction value method. What does determining customs value based on transaction prices mean? This means mutual trust, that is, the information in the declarations and documents submitted to customs authorities is truly accurate and correct, and there is no need for additional checks or value adjustments.
The submitted information is taken as a basis. It is gratifying that the first valuation method, i.e., the method based on information submitted to customs authorities, has reached 76.4%. If we compare by years, this indicator was lower before. This means that businesses are now informed, know what documents to submit, and understand what voluntary compliance in customs procedures consists of.
The main principle of voluntary compliance is that every entrepreneur serves their own state through voluntary compliance. In this way – voluntary compliance, making payments on time – a contribution is made to our state, our economy, and our general welfare. Therefore, since these are essential issues, numerous business entities operate in the direction of these goals. As a central executive authority, we attach great importance to this,” stated Sh. Bagirov.