AHK Impuls

On 1 November 2023, German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce (AHK Azerbaijan) organized the next AHK Impuls event for its member companies. The honorary guest speaker, Mr Mammad Aslan Abbasbeyli, Head of the State Service for Antimonopoly and Consumer Market Control, spoke on the topic of “Advancing Competition and Public Procurement: Regulatory Reforms”. Following this, Mr Ahmad Hasanov, Head of the Public Procurement Department at the State Service for Antimonopoly and Consumer Market Control, conducted a workshop with business representatives.

The event was initiated with the opening speech of the Executive Director of AHK Azerbaijan, Mr Tobias Baumann, who welcomed the member companies and introduced the speakers before handing over the floor to an honorary guest of the event, Mr Mammad Aslan Abbasbeyli.

In his speech, Mr Abbasbeyli welcomed the guests and highlighted the State Service's active role in government-private sector engagement. He emphasized their commitment to building a sustainable economy and fostering growth through the private sector. Mr. Abbasbeyli also stressed the importance of clear and open regulatory formats and explained their efforts in simplifying and interpreting complex regulations.

He discussed the four main regulatory mandates designed to benefit consumers and support businesses, including competition code, public procurement, quality, and consumer protection. Mr Abbasbeyli announced significant reforms in the competition legislation, updating outdated laws to reflect the current economic reality. He also introduced a government program to improve the competitive environment, emphasizing the collective responsibility of various government agencies.

Additionally, Mr Abbasbeyli mentioned efforts to educate the younger generation about competition economics to prepare them for future careers in the business world. Finally, he outlined key features of the new public procurement law, including expanded scope, digitalization, budget transparency, blacklisting of process-manipulating businesses, framework agreements, and a waiting period for potential complaints.

Then, Mr Tobias Baumann gave the floor to the honorary guest speaker of the event, Mr Ahmad Hasanov.

In his speech, Mr Ahmad Hasanov extended a warm welcome to the esteemed guests and delivered an insightful presentation on the implementation of the new public procurement law. During his address, he covered a range of topics, including the historical evolution of the law, the importance of compliance with legal provisions, and the various updates and enhancements made to the legislation to ensure its contemporary relevance.

After his speech, Mr Hasanov answered questions raised by the AHK Azerbaijan members and expressed his gratitude to the Chamber for the given opportunity to have direct dialogue with the representatives of relevant sectors. The event was concluded with a networking lunch. More

On 4 July 2023, the German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce (AHK Azerbaijan) organised the next AHK Impuls with the participation of over 70 representatives from members and partners of the Chamber. The honorary guest speaker Mr Shahin Baghirov, Chairman of the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan, spoke on the topic of “Customs Regulations in Azerbaijan: Current Trends and Enhancing Public-Private Cooperation”. Also at the meeting, Ms Sevinj Rahimova, the Founder and Director of SERA Holding LLC, gave information about the services and activities of Smart Finans LLC.

Opening the event, Mr Tobias Baumann, Executive Director of AHK Azerbaijan, welcomed the member companies, greeted the representatives of the diplomatic missions, introduced the speakers and expressed his gratitude towards Smart Finans LLC for supporting the AHK Impuls event. He then passed the floor to Ms Sevinj Rahimova.

In her keynote address, Ms Sevinj Rahimova welcomed the guests and gave information about the activities and services of Smart Finans LLC, which is a part of SERA Holding. Ms Rahimova said the company provides finance, accounting, consulting and audit services. She also spoke about customs services, which are among the most exciting subjects for entrepreneurs, and emphasised the state's support for this area.

Then Mr Tobias Baumann gave the floor to the honorary guest speaker of the event Mr Shahin Baghirov.

In his speech, Mr Shahin Baghirov welcomed the event participants and said that the State Customs Committee is always open to such initiatives and emphasised the importance of these kinds of meetings contributing to business-customs partnership. First, Mr Bagirov gave extensive information about the strategic goals, missions and principles of the State Customs Committee.

Later, Mr Baghirov shared detailed information about each of the completed projects. Mr Baghirov also highly appreciated the cooperation of the companies in the completion of the electron account application, as well as he said that since May 10 of the current year, all entrepreneurs carrying out import-export operations have become users of the electronic account application and informed that the mobile data of the application is already available. Mr Baghirov also stressed the importance of requesting the electronic notification form from the customs offices.

Following this, Mr Baghirov said that the ongoing projects were carried out on the basis of regular discussions and gave extensive information about the risk management system project. Mr Baghirov also said that they will be able to check whether the products brought to the country of this project have been approved not only by the State Customs Committee but also by other institutions through the risk management system.

At the end of his speech, Mr Shahin Baghirov emphasised the importance of the principle of transparency and called on private sector representatives to cooperate with the customs authorities.

The event was followed by concluded with a question-and-answer session, lively discussions and a business networking dinner. More

On 7 April 2023, the German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce (AHK Azerbaijan) organised the next AHK Impuls event with the participation of more than 60 company representatives and partners of the Chamber. The honorary guest speaker of the event, Mr Emin Huseynov, Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the liberated territories of the Karabakh Economic Region (except Shusha district), spoke on the topic "Reconstruction works and investment opportunities in the liberated territories of the Karabakh Economic Region". The event mainly revolved around the investment potential of the liberated territories, the efforts so far and the way ahead.

In his opening remarks, Mr Tobias Baumann, Executive Board Member of AHK Azerbaijan, welcomed the participants and expressed his gratitude to the Yelo Bank OJSC for supporting the event. He then passed the floor to Mr Emin Huseynov, the honorary guest speaker of the event.

Mr Huseynov gave information about the reconstruction works and development in Karabakh region: “The initial stage in Karabakh began with demining activities, and this process lasted for a year. Reconstruction works are currently underway in Karabakh, and vigorous activities continues, especially in transport and logistics, energy and water, and communication lines.”

Speaking about the business opportunities in Karabakh and the investment potential of the area, Special Representative of the President in the Karabakh Economic Region: "The potential investment opportunities in Karabakh mainly in agriculture, food industry, mining, tourism industry and the reconstruction of these areas is of high importance. Speaking about the restoration of the transport system and the construction works carried out in Karabakh in the last two years, he spoke about the transportational and logistical advantages of the newly built airports. Giving information about applying sustainable technologies and "Green Energy", Mr Emin Huseynov also touched upon the issue of creating a green zone in Karabakh. He stated that by the decision of President Ilham Aliyev, the processes to reduce potential CO2 emissions to zero by 2050 are being successfully implemented.

At the same time, Mr Huseynov emphasised German companies' contribution to Azerbaijan's economy. He noted that the successful continuation of these relations in the Karabakh region is also interesting for the economy of both countries.

In his speech, Mr Huseynov brought up the perspective of local investors and gave examples of opportunities for German investors and how to present incentives to potential investors.

The event was concluded with a question-and-answer session, lively discussions and a networking dinner afterwards. More

On 13 December 2022, AHK Azerbaijan organised the next AHK Impuls with the participation of over 50 representatives from members and partners of AHK Azerbaijan. The event was dedicated to the prospects of energy transition in Azerbaijan and maintaining energy security. The honorary guest speaker was Mr Samir Valiyev, Deputy Minister of Energy of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Dr Michael Hilmer, Vice President at Uniper Global Commodities SE and Mr Vitaly Yakovlev, Managing Partner at KPMG Azerbaijan Limited further contributed their remarks on energy transition.

Opening the event, Mr Tobias Baumann, Executive Director of AHK Azerbaijan, welcomed the member companies, greeted the representatives of the diplomatic missions, introduced the speakers and expressed his gratitude towards KPMG Azerbaijan Limited for supporting this AHK Impuls event.

In his keynote, Mr Samir Valiyev pointed out that Azerbaijan is currently on the third level of its energy strategy, which is focused on consolidating energy security for Azerbaijan and also its partners.

Speaking about the development of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Germany, Mr Valiyev noted: “Azerbaijan is a key trade partner for Germany in the South Caucasus. Last year, the bilateral trade turnover increased by 57% and was close to 1.3 billion USD.  During the last four years, Germany has been supplied with more than 5.7 million tonnes of Azerbaijani oil. From January to August this year, crude oil accounted for 96.6% of our exports to Germany.”

Mr Valiyev then turned to renewable energies and first highlighted Azerbaijan’s high potential and stressed the positive environment, in which private investments are replacing government investment, highlighting Azerbaijan as a reliable partner.  

Following this keynote, Dr Hilmer gave insights into the energy transition in Germany. He proudly announced that this AHK Impuls is also the kick-off event for the newly established AHK Working Group on Energy Transition.

Mr Yakovlev brought in the perspective of local investors and gave examples of how to provide incentives to potential investors to support the energy transition.

These three perspectives were followed by a lively question and answer session and a networking dinner. More

On 6 July 2022, the German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce (AHK Azerbaijan) organised the next AHK Impuls event for its member companies. The event was dedicated to employment policies and practices in Azerbaijan. The honorary guest speaker of the event, Mr Mustafa Abbasbeyli, Chairman of the Board of the State Employment Agency under the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population of the Republic of Azerbaijan delivered a speech on "Role of Employment Policy in Ensuring Economic Development". 

Opening the event, Mr Tobias Baumann, Executive Board Member of AHK Azerbaijan, welcomed the member companies and partners before introducing and handing over the floor to the honorary guest of the event, Mr Mustafa Abbasbeyli.

In his speech, Mr Abbasbeyli emphasised the ministry’s aim to attract and retain as many people as possible in the active labour market, i.e., the taxpayers, underlining how a disturbance in the transition between the active labour market contributors and social security beneficiaries would be detrimental to the economic state. He then stated how the Azerbaijani labour market legislation continued to be socially oriented but aimed at transitioning into a hybrid model, which would be a balance between the social state and liberal economy.

Mr Abbasbeyli then provided details on the relationship between economic and population growth, which in the case of developing nations such as Azerbaijan, is defined by stronger population growth than an economic one. This leads to issues such as not being able to provide sufficient job positions. Yet, it is also an advantage as population growth means more consumption and demand in the economy, increasing the GDP through production growth, thus, creating more employment.

Mr Abbasbeyli highlighted the significance of applying innovation, especially in economic sectors with high employment but low productivity, such as agriculture, as well as underlining the size of the informal economy in Azerbaijan, which is estimated to equal to the number of labour agreements.

Moreover, he expressed the importance of the digital economy and digital transformation. The ministry is one of the most innovative government bodies, with more than 100 services out of 130 being provided electronically. Finally, the Chairman of the Board of the State Employment Agency concluded his speech by emphasising the significance of SME development in increasing economic sustainability and diversification.

 The event then continued with a Q&A session accompanied by a networking dinner. More

On 10 February 2022, the German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce organised the next AHK Impuls event for its member companies. The honorary guest speaker of the event, Mr Vusal Huseynov, Chief of the State Migration Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan, delivered a speech on "Migration Management in Azerbaijan: Addressing New Challenges". The event was held at the Hyatt Regency Baku Hotel in strict compliance with all requirements of a quarantine regime and recommendations for safety and health.

Opening the event, Executive Director of AHK Azerbaijan, Mr Tobias Baumann welcomed the member companies and greeted the representatives of the diplomatic missions participating in the event before handing over the floor to the honorary guest of the event Mr Vusal Huseynov.

In his speech, Mr Huseynov provided detailed information on the main activities of the State Migration Service and the institutional reforms and regulations to improve the activities of the organisation. It was also announced that important steps have been taken to minimise the impact of the rules on the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the most important challenges of the last two years, on the private sector and the lives of migrants in the country. He emphasised the importance of improving services provided to entrepreneurs, creating new e-services and various benefits applied to legalise the residence of migrants within the country.

Furthermore, Mr Huseynov noted that a second important challenge is a growing demand for foreign labour in the country in connection with the restoration and construction work begun on the liberated territories. He said the quotas were increased accordingly, taking into account the growing demand in this direction. "Although the quota for 2021 has been set at 6,740 people, however out of necessity, this number has been increased by 1,000 people and reached 7,740 people. This number is predicted to be 8740 people in 2022. This will help revitalize the business environment and ease the quarantine regulations."

Considerations about the social projects of the State Migration Service, the Service Chief mentioned that work is underway on a project to establish a Regional Training Center for Migration in Azerbaijan, jointly implemented by the International Organization for Migration and the State Migration Service.

Speaking about the social projects of the State Migration Service, Mr Huseynov mentioned that currently, the work is underway on a project to establish a Regional Training Center for Migration in Azerbaijan, jointly implemented by the International Organisation for Migration and the State Migration Service.

Concluding his speech, Mr Huseynov expressed his gratitude to the German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce for the given opportunity to have a direct dialogue with the representatives of the private sector. The event was concluded with a networking dinner. More

Deputy Head of the State Service for Antimonopoly and Consumer Market Control, Mammad Abbasbayli met AHK Azerbaijan members 

On 16 November 2021, the German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce (AHK Azerbaijan) organised the next AHK Impuls event for its member companies. The event was held in the "Hyatt" hall of the "Hyatt Regency" Meeting and Conference Center in strict compliance with all requirements of a quarantine regime and recommendations for safety and health. The honorary guest speaker of the event, Mr. Mammad Abbasbayli, Deputy Head of the State Service for Antimonopoly and Consumer Market Control, delivered a speech on "Antimonopoly Regulation and Competition in Azerbaijan: Vision for the Future". 
 
The event was initiated with the opening speech of the Executive Director of AHK Azerbaijan, Mr. Tobias Baumann, who greeted the representatives of the diplomatic mission participating in the event before handing over the floor to an honorary guest of the event to Mr. Mammad Abbasbayli. 
 
By referring to the annual AHK Business Climate Survey recently launched by AHK Azerbaijan, Mr. Abbasbayli noted that ensuring transparency in public procurement and improving tender criteria and procedures are one of the main requirements outlined by the foreign companies for a sustainable business and investment climate in Azerbaijan. He noted that the results of the survey are being analysed by the organisation and the feedback and suggestions of the companies will be considered in the reform agenda moving forward.  
 
Then, Mr. Abbasbayli informed the participants about the activities of the State Service and the ongoing institutional reforms to improve the activities of the organisation. It was also noted that important steps have been taken recently towards sustainable economic growth through liberal and competitive economic policies. Speaking about the new directions identified for the promotion of competitive neutrality in the markets with direct state participation in order to further improve the business environment, Mr. Abbasbayli noted that a new improved draft of the Competition Code has been prepared taking into account both international experience and the conditions of economic growth of Azerbaijan. According to the Deputy Head, at present, the project is at the stage of coordination with the relevant structures. 
 
The event also provided information on the strategic goals of the State Service for Antimonopoly and Consumer Market Control. It was noted that the protection of a fair and free competitive environment that ensures the efficient and unimpeded operation of market participants, enhancing competitiveness in the national economy and supporting sustainable development, digitalisation of services, creation of a consumer-centric ecosystem are identified as the main priority goals and strategic pillars for 2022-2026. 
 
Concluding his speech, Mr. Abbasbayli expressed his gratitude to the German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce for the given opportunity to have direct dialogue with the representatives of the private sector. The event was concluded with a networking dinner. More

On 29 October 2021, the German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce (AHK Azerbaijan) organised the next AHK Impuls event for its member companies. The honorary guest speaker of the event, Mr Safar Mehdiyev, Chairman of State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan, delivered a speech on the topic of "Strengthening Public-Private Partnership in Customs Control and Clearance". The event was held in the Hyatt Hall of the Hyatt Regency Baku Hotel in strict compliance with all requirements of the quarantine regime and recommendations for safety and health.

Opening the event, Mr Tobias Baumann, Executive Board Member of AHK Azerbaijan greeted the participants and briefly introduced the agenda of the event.

Following this, the honorary speaker of the event, Mr Mehdiyev gave detailed information to the participants of the event on the activities of the State Customs Committee and the work carried out by the Committee to increase transparency, to combat the shadow economy and smuggling and to strengthen the human potential against the changing global economic landscape. He especially mentioned the activities of the Committee to significantly reduce the scope of the physical inspections and increase their efficiency as a result of the public-private partnership. Additionally, Mr Mehdiyev spoke about the recent fiscal reforms implemented in Azerbaijan, including e-services provided by the Committee and priority goals set to improve this area.

Talking about the implementation of modern and facilitated procedures and its adaptation into the legislation, he informed the participants of the work by the Committee to improve the “Green Corridor” system and develop the customs services and stressed the importance of applying the principle of voluntary participation when paying the customs duties. Mr Mehdiyev noted that 750 companies had already joined the “Green Corridor” system and they constitute 30% of total exports and 41% of total imports.

Touching upon the utmost importance they attach to the international cooperation and foreign direct investments, Mr Mehdiyev said that new Customs Code had been drafted to ensure a competitive economy, moreover new trends in the global trade was reflected in the Azerbaijani customs reforms. He emphasised that the digitalisation of the services would provide the population with easy and convenient access to these services and increase the opportunities to optimise the current system.

After his speech, Mr Mehdiyev answered questions raised by the AHK Azerbaijan members and expressed his gratitude to the Chamber for the given opportunity to have direct dialogue with the representatives of the private sector. The event was concluded with a networking lunch. Ətraflı

On July 1, 2021, the German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce (“AHK Azerbaijan”) organised an AHK Impuls event for the member companies with the support of “Ameco” LLC and “Sahhat” clinic. The honorary guest of the event was Mr. Himalay Mamishov, Chairman of the Board of the State Social Protection Fund, who delivered a speech on "A new approach to social protection in Azerbaijan." The event was held in the "Guba" hall of the "Hyatt Regency" Meeting and Conference Center in strict compliance with all requirements of a special quarantine regime and recommendations for safety and health.

The welcoming speech of the Executive Director of the AHK Azerbaijan, Tobias Baumann, was followed by the presentation of Dr Sabina Gafarova, Application Specialist at Ameco LLC. During her speech, Dr Gafarova introduced a new express COVID-19 antibody tests and stressed the importance of making tests accessible to everyone as an effective way to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Then, Mr. Mamishov, the honorary guest of the event, informed the participants about the activities of the State Social Protection Fund and the measures carried out to strengthen the social insurance system in the country. In particular, he spoke about the work done by the Fund to ensure the transparency and increase the efficiency of social protection and pension systems. Moreover, Mr. Mamishov highlighted the recent reforms in the field of social security in Azerbaijan, including large-scale e-services provided and the priorities identified towards developing this area.

Mr. Mamishov particularly emphasised the importance of the e-social portal for both the social insurance system and citizens. He noted that the digitalisation of services has further enhanced the ability to optimise the built-in system to ensure that people can easily and conveniently use these services. In addition, the prompt response to citizens' questions on social media has created a great basis for improving the quality of services provided.

Concluding his speech, Mr Mamishov expressed his gratitude to the German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce for the given opportunity to have the direct dialogue with the representatives of the private sector. Following the Q&A session on the enquiries of the AHK Azerbaijan members, the event was concluded with networking dinner. More

(AHK Azerbaijan) organised the next AHK Impuls event for the AHK member companies. The event was focused on the development trends of the transportation and logistics industry in Azerbaijan.

After the opening remarks by the Chairman of the AHK Board of Directors, Mr Farid Isayev, the honorary guest speaker of the event, Director-General of the Port of Baku, Dr Taleh Ziyadov delivered a key-note speech on “Port of Baku as Emerging Logistics Hub: Boosting International Trade”.

Dr Ziyadov informed the companies about the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Port of Baku and the APEC Port Training Center of the Port of Antwerp and the upcoming training targeted at specialists in the field of transport, trade and logistics. Also, he discussed the new opportunities in communication lines of the country created after Azerbaijan restored its territorial integrity, development strategy of Port for the next two years, agreements reached with leading logistics hubs and transportation companies in Asia and Europe, and innovations in the region's transport sector.

The event was followed by the question and answer session on the enquiries of member companies with the moderation of Ms Nigar Bayramli, Deputy Executive Director at AHK Azerbaijan. More

On 8 July 2020, The German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce (AHK Azerbaijan) organised its first online AHK Impuls event for its member companies. The main topic of the event was the medium and long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tourism industry in Azerbaijan. After the opening remarks by the Chairman of the AHK Board of Directors, Mr Farid Isayev, the honorary guest speaker of the event, CEO of the Azerbaijan Tourism Board, Mr Florian Sengstschmid delivered a key-note speech on “Tourism Industry of Azerbaijan during the Pandemic”.

In the meeting, Mr Sengstschmid informed the participants about the current situation in the tourism industry in light of the coronavirus pandemic, briefly discussed four-stage recovery plan for the tourism sector of the country and support mechanisms provided to the industry representatives. Moreover, he elaborated on the new initiatives by the Tourism Board the “SAHMAN” (“Sanitation and Hygiene Methods and Norms”) programme and the “Adventure is near” (“Macəra Yaxındadır”) domestic tourism campaign.

Emphasising the importance of reassessing and enhancing the standards across the tourism sector, Mr Sengstschmid mentioned that the “SAHMAN” programme calls upon all stakeholders in Azerbaijan to adopt better practices in their businesses in the interest of safeguarding public health and supporting the recovery of the industry. He mentioned that, the purpose of the “Adventure is near” campaign is to promote domestic tourism at the state level and to bring together all tourism offers for the citizens of the country by encouraging the local population to take advantage of the country's tourism opportunities.

Following this, Mr Walter Gag, General Manager at Hyatt Regency Baku and Mr René Koinzack, General Manager Sales at Deutsche Lufthansa AG provided their valuable insights into the economic consequences of COVID-19 in the hospitality and transport sectors, respectively, and on the development challenges and post-pandemic recovery period.

The webinar was concluded by the Q&A session on the enquiries of member companies. AHK Azerbaijan will continue to deliver against the odds and support its members with necessary information through similar sessions and online events. More

On 30 October 2019, The German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce (AHK Azerbaijan) organised its next AHK Impuls event for its member companies at Hyatt Meeting & Conference Centre, sponsored by Uniper Global Commodities SE. The honorary guest speaker of the event, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, Mr Mukhtar Babayev delivered a speech on “Main Priorities of Environmental Policy in Azerbaijan”.

During the meeting, Minister informed the participants about the measures implemented by the government in the field of environmental protection, preservation of ecological balance, and finding the rational solution to existing environmental problems. Providing the information on the current statistics regarding the air emissions in Azerbaijan, Mr Babayev stressed the importance of promotion of use of environmental friendly fuel and modernization of the air quality monitoring system in the country.

Moreover, Minister noted that increasing the use of renewable energy sources and energy-efficient technologies to reduce impacts of climate change, cease of the use of black oil at thermal power plants, expansion of forest areas, annual reduction of volume of associated gases to the atmosphere and other measures have been undertaken to mitigate climate change impact in Azerbaijan. Mr Babayev stated that the solar power plants currently operate in Gobustan and Samukh regions, Baku’s Pirallahi, Surakhani and Sahil settlements.

Furthermore, it was mentioned that taking into consideration national context of the country, future development prospects and national interests, in its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution by 2030 Azerbaijan targets 35% reduction in the level of greenhouse gas emissions compared to 1990/base year as its contribution to the global climate change efforts.

Touching upon the greening measures taken by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, Mr Babayev shared the plans of the institution for the next 5 years, which include greening activities in 7000 hectare areas of Baku and Absheron Peninsula, establishment of agro-gardens along the highways, and the use of alternative sources in irrigation.

Concluding his speech Minister expressed his gratitude to the German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce for the given opportunity to have the direct dialogue with representatives of the private sector.

Following the Q&A session on the enquiries of the AHK Azerbaijan members, the event was concluded with networking dinner. More

On 16 September 2019, the German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce (AHK Azerbaijan) organised the next AHK-Impuls event for its member companies at Hyatt Meeting & Conference Centre. The topic of the current AHK-Impuls was dedicated to the customs services and recent developments in the customs sphere of Azerbaijan. The honorary guest speaker of the event, Mr. Safar Mehdiyev, Chief of State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan, delivered a speech on "Innovative Solutions in the Customs Reform Process" in the event.

Speaking about the main reforms to facilitate trade in the customs system, Mr. Mehdiyev mentioned the importance of information technologies in the risk analysis and management processes as well as in accelerating the import-export activities.

Moreover, underlining the steps taken to study international experience with the aim of improving customs legislation, Mr Mehdiyev mentioned that the preparation of the new Customs Code is in the completion phase which envisages to adapt the customs system of Azerbaijan to the European model standards. Speaking about the implementation of the "Green Corridor" release system, the chairman of the committee noted that this program will help in eliminating the delays and ensuring the unimpeded and easy implementation of import-export operations. On average up to 25%-30% of import-export operations are already realised through the “Green Corridor”.

Furthermore , referring to the importance of transparency and the fight against corruption, the chairman mentioned the continuous cooperation with international organisations in this area. Also, it was stated that since the minimising contact between the customs officers and citizens is one of the current priorities of the Committee, the efforts to improve the quality and quantity of e-services and integrate the statistical information into the governmental portal are beginning to yield tangible results.

At the end of his speech, Mr. Mehdiyev emphasised the need for further cooperation between customs authorities and companies and stressed that this successful cooperation will continue to improve the customs legislation and will help to eliminate the difficulties faced by business people.

Following the Q&A session on the enquiries of the AHK Azerbaijan members about customs, Mr. Ilgar Vahabov Executive Director of "My Broker" Limited Liability delivered a presentation on “A New Look at the Customs Brokerage Services in Azerbaijan”. More

On 10 July 2019, The German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce (AHK Azerbaijan) organised the next AHK-Impuls event for its member companies and partners at Hyatt Meeting & Conference Centre, sponsored by AccessBank Azerbaijan. The honorary guest speaker of the event, Acting Chairman of the Executive Board of Financial Market Supervisory Authority of the Republic of Azerbaijan (FIMSA), Mr. Ibrahim Alishov delivered a speech on “Development Trends in Financial Markets of Azerbaijan”.

The acting chairperson of FIMSA’s Executive Board, in his opening remarks, having welcomed the participants, spoke in detail about the government’s efforts to secure financial stability and reforms to transition to international standards, touching on the current status of financial markets, and its key components such as the banking, insurance and securities industries, the accomplishments and performance.

Mr. Ibrahim Alishov also spoke of FIMSA’s focus on international cooperation, spanning international institutions and financial supervisors and prioritizing global integration.

Following the Q&A session on the enquiries of the AHK Azerbaijan members, Mr. Anar Hasanov, Chairman of the Executive Board of AccessBank Azerbaijan delivered a presentation on “Development Trends in Financial Markets of Azerbaijan: AccessBank Perspective” in the event.

The event was concluded with networking dinner. More

On 2 May 2019, The German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce (AHK Azerbaijan) organised its next AHK-Impuls event for its member companies at Hyatt Meeting & Conference Centre, sponsored by PwC Azerbaijan. The honorary guest speaker of the event, Country Manager of the World Bank for Azerbaijan, Mr Naveed Hassan Naqvi delivered a speech on “Economic Prospects for Azerbaijan”.

Providing information on the recent international reports analysing economic and business conditions in the world, Mr Naqvi stressed the success of Azerbaijan in achieving the 25th rank in the “Doing Business 2019” report. He also emphasised the appreciation of the World Bank and the international organisations for this achievement. Mentioning the 69th rank attained by Azerbaijan in Human Capital Index 2019 and referring to people as the source of business creation and innovation, Mr Naqvi noted the necessity of the human capital development which is crucial in strengthening the social bonds between the government and people. In particular, it was mentioned that Azerbaijan has two main resources making possible its market to grow: oil and human capital. He underlined that the country needs to transfer the focus from the oil sector towards the development of human capital. Mr Naqvi also underscored the importance of the government’s role in improving the education system and health sector in Azerbaijan.

Moreover, he expressed his appreciation for the introduction of the new management in the state bodies since the last presidential elections, particularly stressing the new appointments made in the Ministry of Taxes, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, among others. Mr Naqvi concluded his speech by highlighting the significance of knowledge and know-how in improving the economic prospects of the country.

Afterwards, Mr Otabek Sidikov, Senior Manager at Risk Assurance Department of PwC Azerbaijan delivered a presentation on “The three lines of defence for efficient corporate governance” in the event.

Following the Q&A session on the enquiries of the AHK Azerbaijan members, the event was concluded with networking dinner. More

On 7 February 2019, AHK Azerbaijan organised the first AHK-Impuls event of this year for its member companies at Hyatt Meeting & Conference Centre.

The topic of the AHK-Impuls was dedicated to the ongoing reforms and recent developments in the migration sector of Azerbaijan. The honorary guest speaker of the event, Chief of State Migration Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr Vusal Huseynov delivered a presentation on “Implementing migration policy reforms in Azerbaijan” in the event. The participants of the event were informed about the priorities and envisaged activities of the Migration Service in 2019, the ongoing reforms as well as about the facilitation of the migration challenges of foreign citizens.

Afterwards the founder and director of Ekvita LLC, Mr. Ilgar Mehti informed the participants about the “10 years of applying migration laws in Azerbaijan”.

We are very grateful to Ekvita LLC for the support to the event! <link en events event-details ahk-impuls-07022019 _blank rte_button>More

On 5 December 2018, AHK Azerbaijan organised the next AHK-Impuls event for its member companies at Hyatt Meeting and Conference Centre. The current event was dedicated to the ongoing reforms in the labour market in Azerbaijan and was attended by the honorary guest speaker Mr Sahil Babayev, Minister of Labour and Social Protection of Population of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The event was opened with a welcoming speech of Mr Tobias Baumann, Executive Director of AHK Azerbaijan and was followed by the presentation of Mr Rizvan Gubiyev, Tax Director of KPMG Azerbaijan Limited on “International practices in tackling informal employment through tax policy”. Afterwards, Mr Sahil Babayev, Minister of Labour and Social Protection of Population delivered a speech on “Implementing labour market reforms for Azerbaijan”.

Emphasising the human factor as the main direction of the state policy, Mr Babayev mentioned that this year ongoing reforms in the labour market covered four main directions: Automation of pension system; establishing "DOST" centres; introduction of e-social internet portal and improving the quality of employment services. The minister noted that the expansion of e-services in the field of employment and provision of 124 services by the Ministry through a single-window in a simplified and non-restrictive way will play a crucial role in ensuring transparency and effectiveness of the system.

Furthermore, it was noted that the implementation of the projects related to the Agency for Sustainable and Operative Social Security (DOST), established under the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population in accordance with the Decree of the President Mr Ilham Aliyev dated 9 August 2018, is being completed and the first “DOST” centre will be put into operation in the first months of 2019.

The minister stated that the "e-social" internet portal, which incorporates data of citizens on the state social services (labour contract, personal account, pension capital, types of social security, disability, etc.), is already operating and the work conducted to improve the portal will be continued during the next year.

Pointing out the reduction of the tax burden of workers in the non-oil sector of Azerbaijan and amendments to the legislation in the employment field as positive cases, Minister said that the cooperation with the Ministry of Taxes and other relevant government agencies will be continued to prevent non-formal employment and to ensure coordinated work in this sphere.

After concluding his the speech, Minister responded to the questions of AHK Azerbaijan members on the mentioned issues and called business representatives for supporting the ongoing reforms and conducted work with their comments and suggestions. The event was concluded with networking lunch. <link en events event-details ahk-impuls-05122018 _blank rte_button>More

On 31 October 2018, AHK Azerbaijan organised the next AHK-Impuls event for its member companies at Hyatt Meeting & Conference Centre. The topic of the current AHK-Impuls was dedicated to the ongoing reforms and recent developments in the customs sphere of Azerbaijan. The honorary guest speaker of the event, Mr. Safar Mehdiyev, Chief of State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan, delivered a speech on "Customs reforms for trade facilitation" in the event.

Providing information about major reforms in the customs system, Mr. Mehdiyev mentioned the increase in imports as a result of ensuring transparency and anti-corruption measures. Mr. Mehdiyev also talked about the measures taken to study international experience, introduction of EU customs systems model in Azerbaijan within the framework of cooperation with the European Union and noted that innovations in world trade are taken into account in the customs reforms in Azerbaijan.

In particular, it was noted that Azerbaijan’s accession to the Common Transit Convention will play a special role in simplifying customs procedures and reducing paperwork. The Chief noted that a working group was established in this regard and the initial phase of the project was successfully implemented. Commenting on the introduction of modern and simple procedures, the SCC chairman informed the participants about the work implemented for improving the green corridor system and increasing the level of customs services, and stressed the significance of introducing the principle of voluntary payment of customs duties.

Touching upon the organisational structural and personnel reforms, Mr. Mehdiyev stated that the work is underway in changing the management and implementing structural reforms in the Committee. It was noted that the new Customs Code and normative documents were adopted taking into consideration the comments and recommendations of international experts, and the European standards were applied in the structure of customs system. Furthermore, it was pointed out that minimising physical contact between customs officers and citizens is one of the priorities of the Committee, and the work is being conducted to improve the quality and quantity of e-services in this sphere as well as the integration of statistical information into the government portal.

Mr. Mehdiyev concluded his speech by underscoring the importance of such meetings in contributing to successful continuation of the measures taken in the customs sphere, and stated that the remarks and suggestions made by business representatives at the event will be considered while drafting future reforms.

Following the Q&A session on the enquiries of the AHK Azerbaijan members about customs, Mr. Yunis Salayev, Managing Partner of BDO Azerbaijan LLC and Mr. Sabit Abdullayev, Director of the Legal Services department of BDO Azerbaijan LLC delivered a presentation on supporting the implementation of the roadmap for beneficial ownership disclosure in the extractive industries in Azerbaijan.

The event was concluded with networking lunch. <link en events event-details ahk-impuls-31102018 _blank rte_button>More

On 12 July 2018, AHK Azerbaijan organised the next AHK-Impuls event for its member companies at Hyatt Meeting & Conference Centre. The main focus of the event was the reform currently being planned in tax legislation and administration in Azerbaijan. Mr. Mikayil Jabbarov, Minister of Taxes of the Republic of Azerbaijan attended the event as the honorary guest and delivered a speech on "New Approaches to Business".

In his welcoming speech at the event, Mr. Tobias Baumann, Executive Director of AHK Azerbaijan stated that economic cooperation between Azerbaijan and Germany had expanded and various documents signed between the countries had created favourable conditions for foreign investors to actively participate in various sectors of the economy. It was noted that Germany ranks the 5th place among Azerbaijan’s foreign trade partners according to the volume of trade turnover. He emphasised the significance of AHK Azerbaijan's activity in strengthening the economic relations. Referring to the recent reforms implemented in the tax system of the country, Mr. Baumann stated that these reforms were related to improvement of business and investment climate, reduction of tax burden and tax optimisation, establishment of relations between tax authorities and entrepreneurs on a new level and improvement of tax administration.

Minister of Taxes Mikayil Jabbarov mentioned that important tasks had been set for the Ministry in raising attractiveness of the tax environment, improving tax administration, optimising the tax burden, ensuring transparency in the tax authorities, and currently tax administration was being improved and structural reforms are being implemented in the tax system. In addition, the work is underway to improve the tax legislation.

Mr. Jabbarov noted that one of the most important institutional innovations in structural reforms was the creation of a new institution for appeals and improving tax audits. Minister stated that improving the quality of services provided to taxpayers and establishment of relations with taxpayers on a new level were some of the main priorities of the ongoing reforms. Touching upon the issue of tax burden, the Minister of Taxes noted that diminishing fiscal rates and reducing tax burden through optimisation of some tax rates was being considered. Mr. Jabbarov underlined that the new tax system would enable the establishment of a predictable and transparent tax environment for entrepreneurs.

Minister of Taxes, Mikayil Jabbarov also underscored that the Ministry of Taxes attaches great importance to open dialogue and exchange of views with business representatives as well as the German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber contributes to the development of relations between the two countries, and the Ministry of Taxes expects that these relations, which have become a good platform for the organisation, will yield effective results in improving the business climate. <link en events event-details ahk-impuls-12072018 _blank rte_button>More

On 13 March 2018, the German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce (AHK Azerbaijan) organised its traditional event AHK-Impuls for its members at Hyatt Meeting & Conference Centre.

The first AHK-Impuls of this year was dedicated to the topic of energy. Minister of Energy of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Parviz Shahbazov attended the event as an honorary guest and made a presentation about “The future of energy in Azerbaijan”.

Mr. Shahbazov drew attention to the energy strategy implemented by Azerbaijan since 1994, and its achievements. He emphasised that the current priority of Azerbaijan is the production of petrochemicals and the expansion of their export potential.

Further commenting on Azerbaijan’s policy in the power sector, Mr. Shahbazov mentioned modernisation of the power sector, ensuring efficiency and environmental requirements, the development of alternative and renewable energy sources, and making this field attractive to domestic and foreign investments as the tasks to be fulfilled in the power sector.

The minister concluded his speech by making remarks on current reforms implemented in the energy sector. He pointed out that the implementation of the measures identified in the Strategic Road Map on Utilities Development are in progress and efforts are being made to liberalise the energy market, create a competitive environment for electricity generation and consumption.

Minister’s speech was followed by the presentation of Dr. Michael Hilmer, Senior Vice-President of Gas Supply Division South / Caspian Region, Uniper Global Commodities SE on the projects of the company in Azerbaijan. Mr. Hilmer informed the participants about the past and future projects of the company and a successful joint venture with SOCAR on energy efficiency since 2016. He made his final remarks on the partnerships of the company and stressed that it will strengthen ties and identify new joint business opportunities. More

AHK Azerbaijan held the next AHK Impuls meeting on 16th of October 2017 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Hyatt Meeting & Conference Centre, Guba Ballroom.

Murat Karakash, Managing Partner of KPMG Azerbaijan and Dr. Malik Kerimov, Director of Sahhat German-Azerbaijani Medical Centre delivered their speeches on the services the companies offer by the support of local and international expertise.

Mr. Kamran Agasi, Director of The Innovation Centre of State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations under President of the Republic of Azerbaijan held the presentation on “New generation of public services” that was the core topic of the event. He mentioned how Azerbaijan is in the transformation period where the modernization of public services takes place. He showed ASAN as an example of operation system offering modernized public services where the main responsibility lies on the principle of accessibility, accountability, efficiency, transparency and innovation. Mr. Agasi explained further the new concepts developing such as ASAN Life, Abad, etc. facilitating the enhancement of the regions. More importantly, he said they always feel the support of people who show enthusiasm in the advancement of the projects. More

The AHK Azerbaijan held its fourth AHK-Impuls meeting on September 12, 2017, at Hyatt Meeting and Conference Center, Guba Ballroom from 17:00 until 20:00.

The focus of the AHK-Impuls event was on property issues in Azerbaijan. Mr. Azer Bashirov, Head of Apparatus of the State Committee on Property Issues, delivered a speech on management and privatization of the state properties, and electronic cadaster recording and management of lands in the country. Mr. Bashirov also emphasized the significance of German-Azerbaijani cooperation in property issues and gave information about the joint projects. Mr. Yalchin Jamalov, the Representative of the State Committee on Property Issues, made a presentation about privatization and investment opportunities in Azerbaijan.

Furthermore, Mr. Koray Uygur, Industry Sales Manager Azerbaijan of the BASF Caspian LLC, and Mr. Nuran Karimov, Managing Partner of Deloitte & Touche LLC, held two presentations on their respective companies. More

The AHK Azerbaijan held AHK-Impuls meeting on June 1, 2017, at Hyatt Meeting and Conference Center, Baku Ballroom from 17:00 till 20:00.

The discussion point of the event was amendments in customs procedures and legislation in Azerbaijan. The keynote speaker of the meeting was Mr. Aydin Aliyev, Chairman of the State Customs Committee, who provided information about changes and improvements in customs systems in the country. Along with Mr. Aliyev, Mr. Shahin Baghirov, Deputy Chairman of the State Customs Committee, overviewed customs reforms in Azerbaijan.

Mr. Ilgar Mehti, Managing Partner of Ekvita LLC and Mr. Ruslan Aghayev, Head of Representative Office of Grohe AG in Caucasus presented the activities of their companies to the participants of the meeting. More

The AHK Azerbaijan organized its second AHK-Impuls meeting on April 6, 2017, at Hyatt Meeting and Conference Center, Guba Ballroom. 

The focus of the second AHK-Impuls meeting was the current economic reforms in Azerbaijan. Dr. Vusal Gasimli, Executive Director of the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication shared his views on the implementation of economic reforms in the country. Mr. Vugar Mammadov, Managing Partner of Capital Legal Services LLC and Dr. Mais Sailov, Managing Director of Labservis Ltd. held two presentations on their respective companies. More

The AHK Azerbaijan organized its first AHK-Impuls meeting on March 2, 2017 at Hyatt Meeting and Conference Center, Guba Ballroom. AHK-Impuls is a chain of meetings to be held once in a month to introduce recent changes in Azerbaijan, and to provide members with information about the existing situation in the country.

The focal point of the very first AHK-Impuls was the current financial condition in Azerbaijan. Mr. Michael Hoffmann, the Chief Executive Director of AccessBank Azerbaijan shared his views on the financial circumstance of Azerbaijan. Mr. Samir Guliyev, General Manager of Knauf Marketing Baku LLC alongside Mr. Rufat Hajialibayov, Managing Director of SAP Azerbaijan made a presentation about their companies. More