After two years of non-operation, El Salvador's government and business associations agreed to reactivate the institution dedicated to decision-making on customs matters and trade agreements.
The private sector was represented by the Presidents and Executive Directors of the guilds ASI, COEXPORT, CAMARASAL, CAMAGRO, AMCHAM, CAMTEX and ADES, which are part of the Inter-union Commission for Trade Facilitation (CIFACIL) and participate with voice and vote within the Committee, informed the Salvadoran government.
As of November a rate of $18 per non-intrusive inspection will apply to each package passing through customs, even though the scan is performed once per container.
An article on Elsalvador.com reports that "... The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of El Salvador (Camarasal) yesterday voiced its opposition to the new form of payment that the Treasury intends to implement, starting in November, on cargo coming through customs and which is reviewed using scanners. "
Analysis of the impact of the Trans-Pacific Partnership on the region.
The competition which sectors such as textiles could face is one of the elements raising questions among employers in the region, compared to the real benefits that could be accrued if Central America participates in the Strategic Economic Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP).
The presence of direct competitors, such as countries like Vietnam, in the textile sector, and the possibility of losing dominance in the American market due to trade rules that TPP countries must meet, is unsettling the productive sectors in the region and forcing a reckoning of the pros and cons of a possible entry to the block to be undertaken.
The embassies of El Salvador are to showcase export products from their country and cooperate with private trade missions.
From a press release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in El Salvador:
The Foreign Minister, Jaime Miranda, and the president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of El Salvador, Luis Cardinal, signed on Monday September 30 an interagency cooperation agreement in the field of trade promotion of El Salvador internationally, which will allow the development of joint activities through diplomatic and consular representation of the country throughout the world.
Salvadoran Customs offices have increased charges for procedures at night or at weekends, from $6.86 to $315.24.
According to representatives from business and industry, this measure taken by the Salvadoran government, threatens to undermine the productive chain and business in the country.
"The discomfort arises because the Ministry of Finance through the Directorate General of Customs, promoted Executive Agreement number 763, published in the Official Journal on 29 April, which details charges of $259.33 per hour for extraordinary services (those between 4:00 and 6:00 pm), when previous charges were $3.43 ", reported Elsalvador.com .
Goods vehicles can not pass through customs posts at the Salvadoran border, where Treasury officials are on strike.
Various business groups have expressed concern about the strike, which is causing serious economic losses for businesses.
Regarding this, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in El Salvador states that "We have learned from our partners that the suspension of customs duties has already begun to generate losses of perishable products, delays in delivery times and possible shortages of basic goods, especially vegetables from other countries in the region and those that supply El Salvador. "
12 Mexican companies from different sectors are taking part in a business encounter with their Salvadoran counterparts.
Some of the industries represented at the event are food and beverages, liquor, confectionery, bakery supplies, food industry supplies, jewelry, cosmetics and beauty items, coffee, chocolate and medical equipment.
Laprensagrafica.com reports: "According to Roberto Ayala, general manager of the Salvadoran Chamber of Commerce and Industries, these encounters 'help forge key strategic alliances in regional trade. The idea is to open new markets".
Closing the border with Honduras to trade for 48 hours translated to a loss of $3.2 million and jeopardizes export activities.
That’s how the president of the Chamber of Commerce, Jorge Daboub put it, and he added that exporters of perishable goods were the most jeopardized, especially fruits and vegetables.
Roberto Alas interviews the president in his article on Elsalvador.com: “We don’t agree with the measure because political problems like this should be resolved diplomatically and not with trade measures.”
This coming May 6, businessmen from Guatemala will participate in a round of negotiations in El Salvador.
Guatemalan mission executives will explore market opportunities in the areas of food, ceramics, books, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, among others.
The event, organized by the School of Foreign Trade of the Guatemalan Association of Exporters (AGEXPORT), "will try to put ten Guatemalan entrepreneurs in contact with some 70 delegates from the country's [El Salvador] production sectors," according to an article reported in Prensa.com.
The level of customs risk for exporting companies will be evaluated jointly by the private sector and the authorities.
The evaluation will take place in order to speed up the processing of merchandize and to improve global fee trade indicators.
Under the Business Alliance for Secure Trading project, promoted by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of El Salvador (CCIES), the private sector is seeking to minimize the risk that exporters face from customs processes, providing them with a certificate which to date is not approved by the government sector.