Kurdish official links trade decline to customs system

Shafaq News- Erbil

Trade activity in the Kurdistan Region declined during the first half of 2026 due to the implementation of the customs ASYCUDA (Automated System for Customs Data), the head of the Region's General Directorate of Trade said on Thursday.

Nawzad Sheikh Kamil noted at a press conference that the rollout of the ASYCUDA directly affected the flow of goods, leading to a decline in import licenses compared with previous years. During the first six months of 2026, the directorate issued 155 export licenses, 333 private import licenses covering 352,000 vehicles and 62 classic cars, as well as 1,038 general commercial import licenses.

Earlier this week, Iraq's Ministerial Council for Economy ordered the closure of informal border crossings and approved measures to unify customs procedures nationwide through the implementation of the ASYCUDA system.

Widely used in international customs administration, the ASYCUDA platform is designed to streamline procedures, improve transparency, and standardize operations at border crossings nationwide.