7th Technical Working Group Meeting on CAREC Advanced Transit System and Information Common Exchange (CATS/ICE): Pilot Phase Implementation
The 7th Technical Working Group Meeting on the CAREC Advanced Transit System and Information Common Exchange (CATS/ICE) Pilot Phase Implementation was held on 19–20 May 2026 in Tbilisi, Georgia. The meeting brought together customs authorities officials of Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Uzbekistan, along with technical experts, to review progress in the pilot implementation of CATS/ICE. Representatives from the Kyrgyz Republic and Pakistan joined online for a brief introductory session. The discussions among the three working groups on (i) Information and Communication Technology (ICT), (ii) Customs Control Facilitation, and (iii) Legal and Regulatory took a significant step forward in establishing a regional customs transit system, convening a dedicated legal review session to finalize the Multicountry Framework Agreement (MCFA) among pilot countries.
GRM COH Anders Pettersson opened the meeting and emphasized the pilot’s contribution in digitalizing and harmonizing customs transit procedures. CWRC Zulfia Karimova moderated the discussion focusing on the thorough review and refinement of the agreement’s key provisions, with delegations working through outstanding legal and technical issues to bring the MCFA closer to a finalized text.
Following the working group meeting, a half-day meeting of the Insurer and Guarantor Liaison Group was held, with participants from Georgia attending in person and others joining online. The same participants had also taken part in the online briefing and testing session in October 2025. The group reviewed progress on the CATS/ICE pilot and shared timelines for its prospective operationalization in their respective countries.
Key Materials
List of Participants (ENG | RUS)
Presentations:
- Session 1: Overview of Progress to Date (ENG | RUS)
- Session 2: Overview of the Roadmap to 2030 and 2026 Planning (ENG | RUS)
- Session 3: Progress and Structure of the Multi-Country Framework Agreement (MCFA) (ENG | RUS)
- Session 4: Development of Procedural Manuals, Training Materials, and Future Restructuring of System Specifications (ENG | RUS)
- Session 5: Current Status of CATS Software Development (ENG | RUS)
This event is supported under TA0069: Implementing the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Integrated Trade Agenda 2030 (Phase 2).