Iraq Economic News And Points To Ponder Tuesday Morning 4-28-26
Baghdad And Erbil Discuss Unifying Customs And Generalizing The "ASYCUDA" System
Money and Business Economy News – Baghdad The federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government discussed on Tuesday the unification of customs procedures and the regulation of the work of border crossings throughout Iraq, during an expanded meeting hosted by the Border Ports Authority in Baghdad.
The authority said in a statement received by “Al-Eqtisad News” that representatives of specialized bodies from both sides participated in the meeting, and discussed mechanisms for unifying customs tariffs and implementing the electronic “ASYCUDA” system at all border crossings, with the aim of facilitating the movement of goods and unifying administrative procedures.
According to the statement, the meeting also addressed customs exemptions, lists of prohibitions and restrictions, standardization and quality control procedures, radiation testing, compliance with the agricultural calendar, as well as addressing unofficial outlets and unifying tax procedures.
According to the statement, the head of the Border Ports Authority, Omar Adnan Al-Waeli, stressed the importance of discussing the issues raised in a positive spirit, while giving priority to facilitating trade between the region and the governorates and meeting the needs of citizens.
He added that standardizing procedures would reduce the burden on drivers and traders, which would reflect positively on the smooth flow of trade and economic stability.
The statement indicated that the meeting comes as part of a series of meetings aimed at unifying customs policy and enhancing economic coordination between Baghdad and Erbil, in light of efforts to reduce trade complexities and raise the efficiency of border crossing management in the country.
The ASYCUDA system is an electronic platform developed by the United Nations through the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) to manage customs operations and automate import, export and transit procedures, thereby speeding up clearance, enhancing transparency and increasing collection efficiency.
In Iraq, the government has adopted in recent years the expansion of the system’s application within border crossings, as part of the process of digitizing customs work and reducing paper transactions, with an official direction to generalize it in all crossings and unify procedures between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region.
The Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region, Masrour Barzani, confirmed the region’s approval of the implementation of the ASYCUDA electronic customs system, denying any objection, but he requested a technical grace period (about 9 months) to prepare the infrastructure. https://www.economy-news.net/content.php?id=68441
Discover the features of the e-commerce application and how to register for it.
Money and Business Economy News – Baghdad Minister of Trade Atheer Al-Ghurairi explained on Tuesday the details of the electronic merchant application, noting that the application will prevent fraud against citizens wishing to purchase through social media sites.
Al-Ghurairi said that "the e-merchant application is a service to regulate e-commerce by issuing the merchant license electronically and registering the company electronically."
He added: “How can we monitor individuals and entities working in virtual commerce on the internet through social media sites and selling goods without deceiving citizens?” He asked: “How can we protect the real product and prevent it from being exploited by counterfeiters?”
He stated that "this came through the e-commerce system and the issuance of a license through very simple procedures to regulate work with delivery companies and to regulate work with the Ministry of Communications and the Central Bank, and it is developed according to the needs of the market, the type of trade, and the variables," noting that "e-commerce protects the citizen from counterfeit goods and protects the merchant from counterfeiting his goods by parties that do not produce these goods, while protecting the market and preserving it and subjecting it to regulatory and legal authorities and regulating the electronic market, which is a market that should not be underestimated, and which is expected to develop greatly." https://www.economy-news.net/content.php?id=68437
Iranian Exports To Iraq Via The Mehran Border Crossing Increased By 100% During The Month.
Money and Business Economy News – Baghdad Iranian exports to Iraq via the Mehran International Land Border Crossing recorded remarkable growth during the Iranian month of Farvardin, which extends from March to April 2026, as they increased by 100 percent compared to the same period last year, in an indication of growing trade activity between the two countries.
Sohrab Kamari, the Director General of Customs in Iran’s Ilam Province, said that the volume of exports passing through the Mehran crossing exceeded 246,000 tons of goods, with a value exceeding $60 million in just one month, stressing that the crossing is witnessing active daily shipping traffic of up to about 600 trucks heading towards Iraqi markets.
He added that the Mehran border crossing maintained the smooth flow of trade despite regional challenges, noting that work continued around the clock to ensure that goods did not accumulate and to expedite the arrival of goods to Iraq, given the important economic artery that the crossing represents between the two sides.
The Iranian official noted that Iraqi demand for Iranian goods remains high, particularly for agricultural products, building materials, ceramics, clinker, plastic utensils, live fish, and reinforcing steel, which are among the most prominent goods exported during the aforementioned period.
He explained that this increase reflects the expanding presence of Iranian products within the Iraqi market, based on the diversity of supply and competitive prices, as well as geographical proximity and ease of transport through land ports.
The Mehran border crossing is one of the most important land crossings used in trade between Iran and Iraq, as it connects the Iranian province of Ilam with the central and southern Iraqi provinces, making it a major passage for the daily flow of goods and trucks.https://www.economy-news.net/content.php?id=68434