Digital Trade Hub of Azerbaijan

Digital Trade Hub (Azerbaijani – Rəqəmsal Ticarət Qovşağı) is a public platform developed by Government of Azerbaijan to contribute country's development in the field of foreign trade and entrepreneurship. Digital trade hubs are a new experience of commercing industry introduced by several developed countries like the United Kingdom (Great.gov.uk), South Korea (U-trade Hub) and China (Paperless Trading Bridge and E-Port) which considers this system as a new tool to benefit from advantages of worldwide e-trade. Hong Kong (Trade Single Window) is also expected to join these states with its Trade Single Window until 2018. Hubs are based on 'single window concept' as an electronic platform ensuring information about local manufacturers, for example product line, product mix, quality of products, stockpile volumes, etc. and a market searchable export directory to match businesses over the world. These hubs operate as a single digital point for trade and investment, connects local businesses with foreign customers and capital investors.

Foundation

The Digital Trade Hub has been developed as a part of action plan adopted by decree of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on additional actions for strengthening the position of Azerbaijan as a digital regional hub and expanding international trade relations on 22 February 2017. The main purpose is to maintain high progress rate of non-oil sector, to extend its export capabilities and to increase the competitiveness. The Hub will serve as a center for cross-border trade, as well as, for broadening the scope of e-trade in the region.

One of objectives in establishing this hub is to ease activities of local entrepreneurs and to give necessary support for improving and globalizing their businesses. Through this platform, entrepreneurs get a chance to integrate into regional markets to demonstrate and sell their goods beyond Azerbaijan on Internet.

This digital hub enables manufacturers registered as taxpayers in Azerbaijan prepare and sign documents and agreements with their foreign business partners on an electronic platform through this digital hub. It is also possible to run real-time cross-border electronic services on the hub.

Operation

The Digital Hub will be launched until the end of 2017 on dth.azexport.az portal which is a sub section of azexport.az public online website that pursues the purpose to contribute export promotion of local products via virtual resources. Via the page a range of products manufactured in Azerbaijan including the fields of construction, machinery, foods, metallurgy, electronics, transportation, IT goods, etc. can be ordered and delivered.

Using Digital Trade Hub

The work process of the hub is set on six main steps.

E-Residency

It is a transnational digital identity issued by government for those around the world who are interested in running an authorized location-independent company online. Moreover, this system offers secure and convenient digital services which ensure credibility and trust online.

E-signature

Persons who want to get e-residency should apply for e-signature certificate. This kind of certificates are presented by just two issuers: Information-Calculation Centre of Ministry of Transport, Communication and High Technologies of Azerbaijan and Asan Certificate Services Center of the Ministry of Taxes of Azerbaijan.

Online company formation

E-residents form an online company through e-business register using their e-signature to.

E-payment

Electronic money transactions between sellers and buyers on the hub are carried out via Escrow system, a financial arrangement regulating payment of funds with low risk of fraud.

E-export

E-export ensures the issuance of certain certificates by government authorities involved in organizing of this portal. Also, electronic customs declaration is filled on this system.

E-documents

This section enables to sign documents digitally with e-signature certificates of various states and consists of template and invoice forms to prepare international purchase-sale contract.

Government authorities involved in the project

• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs ensures mutual recognition of electronic signature, as well as, "ASAN signature" certificates in foreign countries and provides non-residents of Azerbaijan with mentioned types of signatures via diplomatic missions and consulates of Azerbaijan.
• The Ministry of Justice regulates the compliance of the legislation regulating the organization of e-trade with international standards and works to improve the legal base for international recognition of e-signature and "ASAN signature" certificate.
• The Ministry of Communication and High Technologies provides timely and constant operation of the portal.
• The Ministry of Taxes works for collecting information about taxpayer identification number of legal and natural persons during the implementation of export operations.
• The Ministry of Economy works to create conditions on the portal for producers of non-oil goods to apply in an electronic form to get export promotion from the state budget, to provide the certificate of quality for exporting food products to EU countries, to ensure a certificate confirming the country of origin of goods.
• The Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication develops "Digital Trade Hub of Azerbaijan" section on azexport.az website, takes measures for real-time information exchange among data bases of public bodies integrated into the portal, ensures the real-time payment of goods values presented on the portal and creates electronic cash card.
• The Special State Protection Service secures the safety of activities carried out on the portal and personal information of parties operating on the hub.
• The State Customs Committee assures the technical conditions which simplifies filling in and real-time submitting export customs declarations, as well as real-time registering the outcome of customs monitoring.
• The State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations provides consulting services to exporters for planning business strategies and agreements, helps them to get information about international markets.
• The Financial Markets Monitoring Chamber verifies the fidelity of the document which confirms transfer of money that is allocated at the application made for export promotion, to the bank account of exporter.

International engagement

On 6 May 2017, a memorandum of understanding was signed between ISESCO and the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication of Azerbaijan (CAERC). The memorandum is aimed at exchanging expertise of electronic services, developing e-commerce among ISESCO member states.

The Digital Trade Hub was presented at the 17@th European Forum on Electronic Signature and Trust Services in Szczecin, Poland on 6–7 June 2017. Jana Krimpe, the head of the company "BEST Solutions", the operator of "Asan İmza" mobile digital signature service represented Azerbaijan in this Forum.

See also

Economy of Azerbaijan

Reforms in Azerbaijan

ASAN service

External links

• Transconflict: Azerbaijan ‘Digital Trade Hub’ set to bind Regional and Eurasian Markets
• Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation – Case Study: Azerbaijan
• Decree on expansion of external trade operations signed

References

This article "Digital Trade Hub of Azerbaijan" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Digital Trade Hub of Azerbaijan. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.

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