Individual Corruption

The Azerbaijani customs system has improved considerably in recent years. Previously, customs and border control officers charged citizens between USD 10-150 to enter or exit the country via Baku Airport. According to Global Integrity 2007, this practice has for the most part come to a stop. Nevertheless, customs administration continues to be considered as prone to corruption by citizens, and a substantial part of the households surveyed in Transparency International's Global Corruption Barometer 2010 reports to have paid a bribe to tax authorities in 2009.

Business Corruption

The State Customs Committee is identified by the US Department of State 2011 as the institution of the greatest concern to companies operating in Azerbaijan. Reportedly, it is common for foreign businesspeople to be asked for bribes by customs officials when crossing the country's borders. According to Global Integrity 2007, total bribes may reach 35% of the value of imported goods.

Similarly, according to the EBRD & World Bank BEEPS Azerbaijan 2008, bribery in relation to customs is not uncommon in Azerbaijan and, in addition, almost one-fourth of the surveyed companies identify customs and trade regulations as a constraint to business operations in the country. In addition, the World Economic Forum Global Enabling Trade Report 2010 points out that time-consuming bureaucracy related to trade across borders opens the way for public officials to demand bribes in Azerbaijan. For example, trade is impeded by customs procedures that lack efficiency, and exporting and importing require time-consuming paperwork to clear goods at the border. Corruption and bribery in these processes are not uncommon.

Political Corruption

Despite recent successes and improvements in customs service, Global Integrity 2009 reports that, in practice, customs and excise laws are not always enforced uniformly or without discrimination, and some groups are more likely to evade these laws due to their connections.

Frequency

The World Bank & IFC: Doing Business 2012:
- A standard export shipment of goods takes an average of 38 days and 8 documents at a cost of USD 2,905 per container.

- A standard import shipment of goods takes an average of 42 days and 10 documents at a cost of USD 3,405 per container.

World Economic Forum: Global Competitiveness Report 2011-2012:
- Business executives give the efficiency of customs procedures (formalities regulating the entry and exit of merchandise) in Azerbaijan a score of 3.5 on a 7-point scale (1 being 'extremely inefficient' and 7 'extremely efficient').

World Economic Forum: The Global Enabling Trade Report 2010:
- Business executives give the transparency of border administration (pervasiveness of undocumented extra payments or bribes connected with imports and exports) a score of 3.5 on a 7-point scale (1 'extremely inefficient' and 7 'extremely efficient').

Transparency International: Global Corruption Barometer 2010:
- 43.4% of households who had contact with customs throughout 2009 report to have paid a bribe.

The World Bank & IFC: Enterprise Surveys 2009:
- 7% of the trade companies surveyed identify Azerbaijani customs and trade regulations as a major constraint on doing business.

- 27.7% of companies expect to give gifts to get an import licence.

EBRD & World Bank: BEEPS Azerbaijan 2008:
- 13% of the companies surveyed stated that bribery is frequent in dealing with customs/imports.