Seyed Jamal Rouhani Esfahani a member of Iran-China Chamber of Commerce:
The customs has a special role in attracting the foreign investors.
As a member of Iran-China Chamber of Commerce and having 20 years experience in commercial affairs, Seyed Jmal Rouhani Esfahani is among the economic activators who is cooperating with custom and following the custom affairs closely.
Under below; you can see the interview text of Custom’s weekly magazine with this business activator:
How is your evaluation about customs role in the development of International Commerce?
Exterritorial activities are among the trade most important & basic indexes in the business global ranking. Such index is directly related to the custom procedures and formalities. The investment & economic growth is usually taking place in the countries with the efficient customs and foreign trade simplifier.
Accepting the international conventions like revised Kyoto convention Iran has accepted the minimum international standards. Hence, every investor or trader who intends to cooperate with Iran, acknowledges this issue.
One of the custom’s proceedings to use the world’s new technologies is to launch a comprehensive system for custom affairs by which all custom activities will be done electronically with no need to physical presence. What is the effect of such action on the procedure of our country’s foreign trade?
As we see, todays all countries of the world are accelerating their trade by e-commencing the trade processes. When the works are mechanized, the processes will be shorter definitely. And as much as the role of human factors reduces, the goods clearance will be speeded up.
The comprehensive system of custom affairs is among the most important proceedings to update, globalize and facilitate our country’s foreign trade for the businessmen. However; we unfortunately see that the other relevant authorities of international commerce which must be active in such system, have not made their affairs electronic and they are still back ward from the custom.
What is your assessment about the custom’s role in post-sanction period? And what formula can help the custom to develop the country’s economic growth?
We will be certainly witnessing the development of country’s commercial activities at the international level. The first consequence of sanctions cancellation which is directly linked to international commerce, is removing bank sanctions which had made various problems for money transfers by the businessmen. Hence, after removing these bank cruelly sanctions, the business risk will be decreased. So it will lead to peace of mind for the entrepreneurs of trade sector. Also, by opening the L/C by traders it is no longer necessary for the bank to pay the entire money to supplier. It can be rather paid in installments and via bank system.
These days we see that European Trade Delegations are travelling to Iran to negotiate with economic authorities about investment. What circumstances are required for investment of such delegations in Iran
Generally the foreign investors will take their money to the country that they are sure to make a profit from it. Then, we have to prepare the conditions for foreign investors to ensure them about rules stability, profit achievement and government support.
If a company intends to invest in Iran, it should know Iran’s regulations during 10 next years in its work area. Then, if we could not foresight such issue, that company will have no tendency to attend in our country’s market.
Although we have many capacities in the area including good market, inexpensive energy, skilled and smart man power, superior strategic situation and proper physical conditions to attract the investors but we have to improve our business ranking and to stabilize our rules & regulations so that the foreign investors enter into Iran. In short the economic security is the requisite of attracting the foreign investments.