Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev approved the new Customs Code, which came into force from January 2012. The existing Customs Code was adopted in 1997. This document lost its force from the beginning of 2012.
Adoption of the new Customs Code is intended to create favorable conditions for strengthening the material and technical basis of the customs system, build the customs infrastructure in accordance with modern requirements, increase state budget revenues, allow widespread use of measures on tariff and non-tariff regulation of export-import operations, accelerating Azerbaijan's membership in the WTO. It is also aimed at improvement and development of the customs tariff policy, strengthening the fight against crimes in the area of customs, increasing the role of customs in socio-economic life, bringing the instruments of customs regulations into line with international standards, simplifying rules for registering export-import transactions in trade and economic relations and others.