Tasnim � Iran and the European Union are reviewing a comprehensive customs agreement and other related cooperation programs, media reports said on Wednesday.
�Iran seeks to sign a mutual cooperation agreement with the European Union,� Director General of Iran�s International Customs Cooperation Office Hossein Kakhaki was quoted as saying by the Trend News Agency.
�Iran held intensive, over 2-year negotiations to sign the agreement with the European Union. They have demanded a series of documents and surveys, and they were provided. The heads of Iran and the EU customs attended two meetings, while two EU delegations visited Iran over this issue,� he said.
�The EU delegations had visited Iran�s customs and held joint meetings with Iran Customs Administration and Ports & Maritime Organization,� Kakhaki said.
�The European Union consists of many countries, and each European country should have their own opinion on this case. Iran waits to sign the agreement with them,� he said.
The official said the agreement with the EU would mean cooperation on land or sea customs.
�The agreement includes administrative cooperation like document exchange and inquiry between European countries and Iran customs,� he added.
�Naturally, the border customs cooperation with European countries can be different, for example Iran customs cooperation with Austria would include Imam Khomeini Airport and Vienna International Airport cooperation,� said the official.
�The signed agreement would be comprehensive and would cover administrative communications, inquiry mechanism and joint cooperation in data exchange, which would ease the customs formalities,� he went on to say.