The second bilateral meeting between BULPRO and TURKPRO held on July 3^rd, 2003 at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Edrine, was conducted with an excellent organisation from the TURKPRO side.

At the meeting, more than 50 participants were present (see participant list). A series of questions important to both sides were discussed.

1. Both PRO committees expressed their commitment to facilitate a steady and independent monitoring on all questions concerning the crossing of the Kapitan Andreevo – Kapikule border crossing together with the American consultants.
2. Both PRO cimmuttees support the introduction of single window payment and truck weight certificate – necessary trade and transport facilitation measures that have been discussed repeatedly in SECI PRO and committed to in the 1999 Memorandum between the Ministers of Transport in Southeast Europe. On the Bulgarian side, BULPRO reported about the survey of border crossing times by introducing by the Border Police of a Unified Fiche ( paper body – see attachment ) that is currently underway for one month on the Kapitan Andreevo and Kulata border crossings. After finishing the survey, the Bulgarian side shall analyse the results and discuss the computerization of the work on the single window payment BULPRO shall send for their reference the Bulgarian translation of the Romanian Law Nr. 599 dd. November 6^th, 2002 concerning the single window payment to the Border Police and the other Bulgarian authorities that are interested. Also, BULPRO informed that there is a letter from the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works concerning activities on the introduction of the truck weight certificate. At this stage, BULPRO expects to be included as participant in the working group on the Bulgarian side. Having in mind these activities and the support expressed in a letter of Dr. Erhard Busek, SECI co-ordinator, to the Bulgarian Prime Ministre, BULPRO engages itself to facilitate finding of technical solutions for reducing the border crossing time at Kapitan Andreevo-Kapikule.
3. Necesity to implement in the bilateral trade of trade documents as recommended by CEFACT, Geneva such as Single Administrative Document (SAD) Invoices, Certificates of origin etc. The Chambers of Commerce and Industry of both countries are to endorse the original invoices and send electronically information about its contents to the customs authorities of both countries with a copy to the partner Chamber. The Chambers also to issue Certificates of origin for the goods. The Customs of both countries are asked to use the information submitted by the Chambers of Commerce and Industry to prevent the trade without accompanying relevant trade documents, smuggling and import at lowered prices. Both customs also to exchange information electronically about the goods crossing the border. The customs control basing on accompanying trade documents shall lead to easier control and decrease in the cases of customs fraud and smuggling.
4. Both PRO committees support the idea of joint border control on the Kapikule – Kapitan Andreevo border crossing performed by the Border Police, customs etc.
5. Both PRO committees support the idea for only one weighting of the trucks on the Kapitan Andreevo – Kapikule border crossing. To this end, each party should accept the document issued by the other country’s measuring unit.
6. The border authorities are asked to undertake measures for performing the desinfection, control and payment of fees without coming out of the vehicles, that is, the technological discipline should be improved in order to decrease the border crossing time.
7. To achieve minimum processing time for the TIR vehicles, the two PRO committees support the idea to use the TIR corridors only for servicing the TIR vehicles. The trucks that do not utilize TIR carnets should be processed on a separate corridor. The trucks that do not have the necessary trade documents (SAD, invoice, certificate of origin etc.) are to be processed under special re-inforced control. For those trucks, a deadline should be set until August 30^th, 2003 to stop transports without trade documents.
8. The trucks that have passed the X-ray control on the Turkish side should receive a sticker labeled R to enable facilitation and decrease in control on the Bulgarian side.
9. Having in mind that Turkey is not a risk country for Bulgaria, the work on facilitating the process of visa issuing for Turkish carriers and businessmen visiting Bulgaria for the first time and having a document – an invitation endorsed by the Chamber of Commerce and Idnustry. In this cases, the issuing time of 24 hours should be kept by the Bulgarian side. Further, BULPRO proposes that this time is reduced and visas are issued immediately to persons who already have visited Bulgaria or have a Shengen visa when they produce an invitation endorsed by the CCI. Later on, visa should be issued on the border itself. To persons having longstanding contacts with Bulgaria and institutions such as BULPRO and the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, should receive multiple entry visa upon offer of the CCI.
10. BULPRO and TURKPRO shall start working on a pilot project of CEFACT, Geneva, about the implementation of the electronic documents of UN (UneDocs) . Information on the progress of this project shall also be published on the regional website for trade and transport facilitation www.ttfse.org.
11. The destination Kapikule-Kapitan Andreevo-Plovdiv-Sofia-Kalotina-Nis-Beograd-Zagreb is of high priority for BULPRO and we count on the partnership of the Turkish side.

George Tchernev, Bulent Alamut,
President, BULPRO President, CCI of Edrine
Vice President, BCCI
09 July 2003 09 July 2003