On February 27-28, 2025, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Moldova (CCI of RM) hosted the regional workshop “eATA: Digitization of ATA Carnets as a Trade Facilitation Tool.” The event was supported by the project “Strengthening Sustainable and Digital Trade Routes and Logistic Concepts between the Eastern Partnership Countries and the EU.”
The workshop brought together representatives from Chambers of Commerce in the Eastern Partnership countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine, and Moldova), the European Union (Latvia, Romania, and Slovenia), and customs officials and business leaders.
Experts from the World Federation of Chambers, which oversees the global ATA Carnet system, presented the Concept and Global Plan for the Transition to the Digital ATA Carnet (e-ATA). They also introduced applications designed for customs authorities, businesses, and Chambers of Commerce to issue and validate documents.
Participants exchanged experiences and took part in hands-on training on the e-ATA platform.
The ATA Carnet is an international customs document that allows the temporary, duty-free admission of goods, facilitating participation in exhibitions, sports competitions, cultural events, and professional equipment transport. Moldova joined the international ATA Carnet system in 2008 by acceding to the Convention on Temporary Admission, adopted in Istanbul in 1990. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Moldova is the country’s sole authority for issuing ATA Carnets and ensuring compliance with temporary export procedures.
“The implementation of the ATA system began in 2006 with the launch of MOLDPRO, the first Trade Facilitation Committee within Moldova’s CCI. One of its first initiatives was Moldova’s accession to the ATA Convention to facilitate international goods transport for exhibitions. In the first year, we issued just 10 carnets. Today, that number has grown to around 160 annually, offering entrepreneurs an efficient solution for temporary goods transport abroad. In 2023, organizations worldwide issued 195,000 ATA Carnets, covering goods worth over USD 28 billion,” said Sergiu Harea, President of CCI of RM.
To streamline the process, CCI of RM launched client.chamber.md. This online platform allows entrepreneurs to apply for ATA Carnets digitally, reducing bureaucracy and saving time and financial resources.
“I am pleased to welcome you to the first edition of the Winter Academy. This three-year project, in collaboration with CCI of RM, aims to implement various initiatives and cover key topics such as customs procedures and the use of e-ATA Carnets. I am confident that the International Winter Academy will strengthen regional connections and support trade development,” said Torben Heinemann, Manager of the EasTnT Project implemented by GIZ.
The International Chamber of Commerce and the World Customs Organization support the full digital transformation of the ATA Carnet, aiming to replace paper carnets with electronic versions for seamless global access by customs authorities.
The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development funds the EasTnT project, which the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) implements.