Mandatory starting July 10th: Iraqi Customs activates electronic inquiry for commercial documents
The Iraqi General Authority of Customs announced on Wednesday the activation of the electronic inquiry feature for certificates of origin and commercial invoices issued by the Federation of Iraqi Chambers of Commerce, through electronic linkage with the ASYCUDA system, in order to verify the validity of the issuance of these documents and their adoption within the customs procedures.
According to a statement issued by the authority and received by Shafaq News Agency, addressed to traders, importers, customs clearance agents and all stakeholders, the certificate of origin and commercial invoice are inquired about electronically when organizing the customs declaration by entering the document numbers in the designated fields within the system, which ensures the accuracy of the data provided and enhances customs audit and control procedures.
The authority explained that the service is currently being implemented on a trial basis, and that the application will be mandatory starting from July 10, 2026, as certificates of origin or commercial invoices will not be accepted unless they are verifiable electronically through the system.
The General Authority of Customs called on all stakeholders to expedite the completion of the procedures for registering their commercial documents properly with the Federation of Iraqi Chambers of Commerce and to ensure the accuracy of their data before submitting them for customs transactions, in order to ensure the smooth flow of work and to avoid any delays or obstacles after the start of mandatory implementation.
The Director of the Iraqi Customs Authority, Thamer Qasim Dawood, announced on April 8th that the Kurdistan Region team had joined the national team for the project to implement the Customs Automation System (ASYCUDA), in a move he considered to reflect the seriousness of the move towards building a unified customs administration at the level of Iraq.
It is worth noting that the Iraqi General Authority of Customs announced on March 3rd the adoption of temporary “exceptional” measures aimed at accelerating the flow of goods and reducing congestion periods in ports, thereby enhancing the stability of supply chains and supporting national economic activity, in light of the exceptional circumstances the region is generally going through.
Shafaq.com