Within the scope of the summit, Bolat pointed out that with the "Additional Protocol on the Amendment of the Protocol on the Exchange of Preliminary Information on Vehicles and Goods Passing through the Country Borders" signed with Uzbekistan, data on vehicles and goods between Turkey and Uzbekistan will be shared in advance and electronically between the customs administrations, and emphasized that it is aimed to accelerate customs procedures, shorten the waiting times at the border gates, and carry out bilateral and transit trade in a faster and safer structure.
Referring to the agreement signed with Kazakhstan regarding the exchange of information between customs administrations and the simplification of customs control procedures, Bolat said, "On the issue of pass documents, our work continues to increase the quotas between our countries and to switch to an electronic pass document at the Land Transportation Joint Commission (KUKK) meetings conducted by our Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure." he said.
Stating that they are working hard to accelerate the transition to paperless trade with the work carried out in the fields of Simplified Customs Line, electronic permit (e-Permit), electronic transport note (e-CMR) and digital truck, Bolat said that the "TDT Digital Economy Partnership Agreement", for which Türkiye and Uzbekistan have completed their internal approval processes, will come into force after the approval of all parties, and with the said agreement, common rules on issues such as paperless trade, electronic invoicing and electronic signature will be put into practice.
Bolat stated that Turkish contracting companies made significant contributions to the development processes of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan and continued as follows:
"To date, our contractors have undertaken 550 projects with a total value exceeding 30 billion dollars in Kazakhstan and 333 projects in Uzbekistan with a total value exceeding 9.5 billion dollars. In the coming period, we aim to further deepen our bilateral trade and economic relations, as well as our relations in the field of investments, through the Joint Economic Commission (KEK) mechanisms and the 'High Level Council on Support of the Business World' that we have newly established with Uzbekistan."
Reminding that Turkish contracting companies continue to take part in major infrastructure and superstructure projects carried out in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Bolat stated that they are planning to organize a contracting delegation to Kazakhstan within the scope of the "KEK Action Plan" signed with Kazakhstan, and that studies will be carried out to evaluate the possibilities of implementing joint investment projects, including light industry.
Bolat stated that within the scope of the "KEK Action Plan" signed with Uzbekistan, mutual delegation visits will be organized by the umbrella organizations of the private sector to develop investment cooperation, and said, "The opportunities offered by the economies of Turkey, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and the entrepreneurial spirit of our business people will be the driving force for the potential of our countries to create a synergy in third countries. I believe that our private sector will take advantage of this opportunity on the basis of common benefit." he said.
Stating that the "High Level Council on Supporting the Business World" established with Uzbekistan will provide a high-level basis for the cooperation between the business worlds of the two countries, Bolat noted that the Council, which will meet regularly under the co-chairmanship of Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz and the Head of the Presidential Administration of Uzbekistan, aims to accelerate joint trade and investment projects and strengthen the cooperation between public institutions and business organizations.
Bolat stated that Vice President Yılmaz will visit Uzbekistan with business people in November and made the following evaluation:
"In addition, we will hold the Turkey-Uzbekistan KEK 9th Term Meeting in our country on December 24. The articles included in the Action Plan to be signed within the scope of the said meeting will strengthen the cooperation of our business world, and the business forum we plan to hold within the scope of KEK will deepen the relations between business people. We are following with our interlocutors the implementation of the decisions taken at the KEK 14th Term Meeting held in Astana in April with Kazakhstan."
