EU: TIR Convention 1975 amendments proposed

The Customs Convention on the international transport of goods under cover of TIR carnets (TIR Convention) of 14 November 1975 was approved on behalf of the European Economic Community by way of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2112/78. The Convention entered into force in the Community on 20 June 1983.

The Commission has now published a proposal for the European Community (European Union) to adopt the latest amendments to the TIR Convention agreed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Working Party on Customs Questions Affecting Transport.

The UNECE Working Party on Customs Questions Affecting Transport agreed that some modifications of the TIR Convention are necessary. These modifications concern mainly articles that deal with the financial responsibility and recovery of the customs debt. By reorganizing and clarifying the relevant articles the procedure is easier to understand and to apply. Other amendments that were proposed introduce in the text of the Convention the definition of the international organization and clearly define the process of authorization of this organization to organize the international guarantee chain.


The Commission’s Proposal for a Council Decision on the position to be taken by the Community concerning the proposal to amend the Customs Convention on the International Transport of goods under cover of TIR carnets (TIR Convention 1975) (Brussels, 26.5.2009, COM(2009) 239 final).







Ralf Grahn