TIR notebook
International customs transit document allowing the road transport of goods under customs seal across several countries.
TIR Carnet (International Road Transport)
The TIR Carnet is an international customs transit document created by the TIR Convention of 1975 (administered by the UN/ECE). It allows the road transport of goods under duty suspension across the territories of the signatory countries, without customs controls at intermediate borders.
Principle
The goods are loaded into a TIR approved vehicle or container and sealed by customs upon departure. The seal is only broken at destination. Customs in transit countries are limited to checking the integrity of the seal and stamping the TIR Carnet.
Signatory countries
More than 77 countries have joined the TIR Convention, covering Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and North America.
International warranty
The TIR system is guaranteed by the IRU (International Road Transport Union) via a national guarantee chain (in France, AFTRI). In the event of non-clearance, the guarantee covers duties and taxes up to EUR 100,000 per notebook.
eTIR
The eTIR system is the electronic version of the TIR Carnet, allowing real-time data exchange between Customs and the IRU. It is gradually being deployed.
Usefulness
The TIR Carnet remains widely used for road transport between the EU and Turkey, the Caucasus countries, Iran and Central Asia, where the NCTS does not apply.