Tax Authority of Guatemala International Commerce Custom Exports & imports Customs Law Taxes customs formalities reforms Roxana Baldetti fine Andrés Castillo Ministerio de Finanzas Públicas (Guatemala) Procedures AmCham Guatemala Comisión Nacional contra el Contrabando

Pressure for Changes to Customs Act

Among the changes requested by the Guatemalan private sector, are the elimination of insurance for theft of goods in transit and the current billing method.

Monday, August 6, 2012

Private sector representatives together with the Tax Authority (SAT) are working on a draft for a new law, which introduces changes to almost 80% of the current Customs Act.

"... The American Chamber of Commerce has asked for changes to the billing method prescribed in current law, which provides for the entry of the net price of the merchandise. It opposed the $250 fines for invoices that do not comply with the new format, and also severe measures such as the suspension of customs agents. It is alsoagainst criminalizing a shipment arriving which is, for example, 5 percent over weight or over value", reports Elperiodico.com. gt.

Source: elperiodico.com.gt

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Key entities

Gustavo Martínez Tax Authority of Guatemala Andrés Castillo Cámara Agricultura Comercio Industria Finanzas (Guatemala) AmCham Guatemala Roxana Baldetti Ministerio de Finanzas Públicas (Guatemala) National Competitiveness Program (Guatemala)

Countries

Guatemala

Insight

Customs Law reforms International Commerce Exports & imports

Paperless Customs Offices in Guatemala

May 2013

The Customs union intends to invest $2.5 million to implement the Project Paperless Customs Offices.

The initiative could reduce fraud and corruption in the country by up to 85%.According to Victor Manuel Rivera, president of the organization, when the Vice President Roxana Baldetti, as manager of the National Anti-Smuggling Unit (Conacon), authorizes the proposal, they will will have, in less than six months, the program installed in all Customs offices registered with the Superintendency of Tax Administration (SAT).

Guatemala: More Challenges Against Tax Reform

February 2013

The Chamber of Industry of Guatemala has submitted to the Constitutional Court an appeal against 14 items in the Laws of Taxation and Anti Evasion II.

"We see abuse in the functions that the SAT is acquiring in this new law," said Andres Castillo, president of the Chamber of Industry of Guatemala (CIG).

Reduced Smuggling in Guatemala

November 2012

Anti smuggling operations are working, resulting in tax collections by Customs grow by 3%.

From a publication in Diario de Centro América:

Working together to reduce smuggling

The first quarterly report of the National Commission Against Contraband (CONACON) contains encouraging news: From June to September smuggling has been reduced and customs revenue increased 3%.

Guatemala: Call for Suspension of Customs Law

March 2012

The American Guatemalan Chamber of Commerce noted that the implementation of the Act without the respective regulations is confusing, taking away transparency in the system and increasing costs.

The Guatemalan Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) has requested that the Government suspend the Customs Act, which was included in the recently approved tax reform.