Digitalization in customs is an initiative for international trade to progress more transparently, reliably and quickly. In the world developing with technology, we should include the digital world in customs. Customs procedures used to go through longer and more difficult processes, but when we look at the current time, everything is a little easier now, established programs, new informatics, system… It helps to facilitate this profession. The modernization and investments made in customs contribute to the development of the infrastructure and to strengthen the old usage system of trade. Customs are now undergoing different renewals. Paperless and unmanned vehicles are being developed. As a result of these studies, while foreign trade transactions gained time and speed, they also provided financial savings. With the pre-arrival customs clearance application, loss of time and additional costs in the import of raw materials and intermediates were prevented. Important steps were taken to support exports while contributing to imports. In the past, everything in customs was proceeding with paper and in a more difficult way, and there was no saving in terms of speed, time and finance because everything was taking more time than it is now. Trade transactions could not be done so easily, the waiting time was always longer, container and vehicle tracking could not be done easily. While invoice payments could only be made by going to banks, only document transactions were made over the internet, but now, from the smallest to the largest transactions, they are made over the internet. Although the eyes of the old customs consultants miss the old declarations, they are relieved when they see that the work is done more safely and quickly in this way, because this way the burden on them has been reduced. Digitalization has aimed to facilitate human life in every aspect.
They stated that they have implemented many exemplary projects such as the digitalization of customs, Single Window, Container and Port Tracking System and Port Single Window, and they have shown that they attach great importance to international trade and contribute to it. When transparency and advanced technology are provided in digitalization in customs, we will become more prestigious and prestige in customs and trade. The innovations we make in customs contribute to imports, but these innovations are provided in order to bring prestige and cost through exports. The most important transaction for us in customs clearance is export. Export: It is a factor that shows our production and sales power. So it is a big business event that will lead us to development and growth. The event that shows the welfare level of not only Turkey but also every country in the world is export. The event that shows the level of development is evident with keeping up with the developing technology, production and sales power. The digitalization in customs puts itself into play here as well. Keeping up with the times also increases the market power. With the increasing market power, exports come to the fore. While going digital in customs, security is taken into consideration in trade. While we think that we will facilitate trade, smuggling, loss of goods at customs, etc. We take the events and act accordingly. Another purpose of going digital in customs is to become one of the high-income rich countries by contributing to trade. The way to this is through more value-added exports and catching up with the technologies of the 21st century. Towards this goal, we work in full coordination with public, private sector and non-governmental organizations. We aim to increase our high value-added exports by using the latest technologies in production, to become more competitive with branding and design in the areas where we are competitive, to facilitate trade by improving our domestic trade and customs with modern legislation and digitalization according to the requirements of the modern age. In our vision for the future, we set goals that support today’s ‘Smart Frontiers for Seamless Trade, Travel and Transport’ slogan. We will continue to serve with an understanding that is open to all kinds of innovative approaches and practices that will enable us to achieve these goals. In this sense, we are pleased that our work is encouraged by the World Customs Organization under the theme of ‘Smart Borders’. We know that customs administrations should be equipped with the latest technologies in order for international trade to operate uninterruptedly and quickly, and the mobility at border crossing points should be supported by the power of information technologies. One of the most used digital systems in customs is “blue informatics”. Most of the customs regulations such as export, warehouse, warehouse, declaration, stock program are made with blue informatics. Some customs companies have special programs that they use, but they also use blue informatics. While talking about the important effects of digitalization in customs, we always talked about “export”, but customs procedures are not done only for exports. Import transactions are also of great importance in customs. A small mistake, especially in the document preparation part, can lead to big financial reasons. We buy products from countries where we do not have enough production power or we know that another country is better in that production, and although this is sold in our own country, our profit is not as much as exports, since we enter the purchasing power on the basis of foreign currency, but import power has also increased with digitalization. International trade is not just a transaction and financial gain relationship. Political relationship is human relationship and acquisition of different values. With digitalization, we see this increase even more. Transportation from human relations has become even easier. We see the benefits of digitalization at certain points in our lives, both in human relations and in commercial terms.
It has been noticed that the time of doing business of importer and exporter companies in Turkey is almost the same, but companies that attach importance to digitalization process faster than other companies. The Ministry of Commerce is developing new systems so that all companies can do things that will accelerate and highlight trade. Everyone will be able to reach the expected speed through the customs goods tracking and analytical performance program “GET-APP”. Digitization is not accepted in the same way everywhere, and some companies want to maintain the old systems. They do not want to keep up with the modern age and have certain systems, but they are moving slowly because they are lagging behind digitalization. Countries that lagged behind trade are especially those that lagged behind in exports or are developing countries. And it is the countries whose gains are not good. We cannot say that they are lagging countries in terms of production, but they only benefit their own countries in terms of production, which cannot offer their production to the market and without fully seeing what is going on in the world without the digital world. In this case, they are deficient in self-sufficiency and in providing income to the country. This is why digitalization is given importance in customs systems. We can’t even be a developing country, working with news from the outside world and slow systems. We aim to expand digitalization in domestic and foreign trade and customs, and to increase safe and fast trade by using electronic platforms effectively. In this context, many innovative and resultant projects such as Digitalization of Customs, Single Window, Container and Port Tracking System, Port Single Window System, Pre-Arrival Customs Clearance projects for the uninterrupted and fast operation of trade. We implement focused work. The Ministry focuses on applications based on electronic systems in all of its services.
Follows each other and does not act even with a single document unaware of each other. For this, they work with a safe and healthy programming. One of them is blue informatics, which is an indispensable system and I mentioned before, but since the blue information system is an old system, it can cause some disruptions on busy days. Therefore, there is a need for more developed programs. But we must state that the blue information system is an indispensable system in customs. Although digitalization is made, there are some things that are timeless and need to be kept, and the blue information system is one of them. Digital studies in customs are carried out to eliminate the problems, but we should not forget that customs procedures and logistics operations act together. Therefore, improvements are made in the logistics processes of the renewals. These programs or technological developments also refer to important reference points. Digitalization in customs has been a problem for years all over the world and they have always been in search of a solution. This is a situation that has been on the agenda in Turkey for 15 years and the ministry is constantly in search of a solution. Finally, some solutions have been produced with the developing technology. It prevents imaginary commerce, waste of paper, the storage and archiving system, and puts an end to wasting time by searching for documents in those large archives. This process is currently being implemented by Singapore, Dubai, South Korea, Sweden, the USA and the Netherlands, and the paperless export period was started at Esenboğa Airport, Ankara customs, Ambarlı and Atatürk Airport in a short time, and in a short time it reached 147 customs in Turkey. will spread. With digitization, 154 documents were moved to the virtual environment. Although it is said that we are progressing slowly, we have not lagged behind, and with the necessary work, we are now progressing strongly on the right path. Customs clearance is the backbone of all countries. It is a source of material, moral and political income of countries. At the same time, it also strengthens the relations of countries with each other. Therefore, healthy communication with each other within seconds is required, not delayed communication. These programs are not systems that are valid for every transaction made at customs, but rather systems that are valid for declaration software. Firstly, on 20 March 2019, paper declarations in exports were terminated. This process was first carried out at the Esenboğa Customs Directorate. With this application, the issue that is tried to create awareness throughout our country is paper saving. In addition, we can foresee that the digitalization of customs procedures will reduce costs. A decrease in costs and an increase in country income is a plus for our developing country. • There are some important areas brought by digitalization in customs; digital archive, automation, e-signature, digital money, e-invoice, industry 4.0, augmented reality, cloud technology, innovation, cyber security, internet of things, e-government, e-commerce, digital data, blockchain, informatics, artificial intelligence.
While customs are going digital, they are also entering the digital transformation process. Digital transformation means new businesses, new ways of doing business, new lifestyles and security issues. According to the researches, it has been determined that the percentage of digital usage in other countries is higher than in Turkey and it has been determined that they are more advanced than us not only in terms of usage rate but also in terms of hand skills. We strive to be among the best. The ratio of the workforce with digital skills has also been found to be less than that of Europe. Since we realized that we need to constantly renew and develop ourselves as a digital workforce for this, we have been trying to digitalize and instill this in people in customs, which is one of the most important business areas for us. In customs, digitalization and industry 4.0 make our lives easier and contribute to the business sector, while increasing productivity. Digitalization is also of great importance for entering the European Union.
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