On 22 May 2025, the World Customs Organization (WCO) held the 23rd meeting of the eATA Working Group, bringing together over 200 registered delegates. Each year, the Working Group discusses progress on digitalizing the ATA Carnet (eATA) and the Carnet de Passages en Douane (eCPD), which will facilitate the free movement of goods and vehicles across borders and their temporary admission into a Customs territory with relief from duties and taxes.

The WCO and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) informed delegates that the eATA Carnet Project is currently in a critical phase, during which the Contracting Parties must decide when to transition to digital Carnets and notify the WCO and the ICC of their single point of contact for further collaboration and a smooth transition to the digital ATA Carnets by the end of 2027. The ICC also provided guidance on the key phases and requirements for the Global Transition Plan and recent developments on digital tools, such as the ATA Carnet Customs and the ATA Carnet Desktop. Further details on the eATA Carnet Project and its supporting tools are available on the ICC website.The meeting featured presentations from German Customs, Irish Customs, and the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, who shared insights and their experiences in digitalizing the ATA Carnet process, highlighting the value of collaboration between Customs and National Guaranteeing Associations and the necessity of additional test transmissions before the official shift to full digitalization by the end of 2027.

Delegate from the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) updated the Working Group on the recent progress in the CPD, including a training session and the expansion of the CPD network with newly approved members – Armenia and Georgia – who are set to begin issuing CPDs in Q2 2025. The CPD information is available on the FIA website.

The discussion will continue at the next ATA/Istanbul Administrative Committee meeting, scheduled for November 2025.