From October 1st a new Customs Management System (SIGA in Spanish) comes into effect.
The new system will allow better control of goods coming in and out of Panama, as the SIGA system will help the customs department keep a more accurately watch on the details of shipments.
With an investment of $20 million, the new system will replace the current system of Foreign Trade Information System (SICE), said Gloria Lopez Moreno, Director of Customs to the press.
In order to expedite clearance of goods and reduce corruption in the customs system, a modernization plan has been launched.
The customs modernization plan submitted by the Honduran consultant David Molina, reduces the number of customs offices in the territory and centralizes the management of this responsibility through three logistical hubs located in Puerto Cortes, Tegucigalpa, and Santa Barbara.
President Martinelli has announced his intention to unite the two institutions.
In order to aid the fight against drug trafficking and smuggling, the Panamanian government plans to convert the Customs and Immigration agencies into one unit.
The article quotes the President Prensa.com Martinelli: "We need to adapt our laws and change our regulations so that Customs and Immigration can work together as one entity reporting to the Minister of Security. "
El Salvador left the unified customs office it shared with Honduras in Puerto Cortes, in order to move to Guatemala.
According to information made public in a radio station, the move was done last January.
"According to the report, most of the Salvadoran cargo passes through Guatemala due to low import and export costs which affect the prices paid by merchants and consumers," reported Elheraldo.hn.
The Ministry of Finance examines the installation of mobile customs offices at illegal border crossings.
The salvadoran Customs Director, Carlos Cativo, said they have already received instructions from the Ministry of Finance and are coordinating with migration and Agriculture for the creation of border points.
"He also stated that the border point model designed will be mobile because it is projected each stay to be able to rotate and the computer equipment to be used to also be portable," informs the article in Laprensagrafica.com.
The modernization of the border agencies is essential in order to achieve export goals and consolidate the Customs Union.
According to the vice-minister for trade, Fernando Ocampo, the government needs to spend $40 million, explaining that, "we can't be competitive when customs process that could take minutes instead take hours".
Prensa Libre reports a statement from the viceminister: "it's not for me to say where this money should come from since this is for the Treasury to decide. However, what I can say is improvements are urgently needed in order to provide a good service".
The collapse of a bridge has led to the closure of the customs office at Entre Ríos between Izabel in Guatemala and Honduras.
The Guatemalan Tax Revenue Authority (SAT) announced the indefinite closure yesterday. The customs authorities at El Florido in Camotán and at Agua Caliente in Esquipulas have been informed.
"Damage to the bridge located at kilometer 301 on the Interamerican Highway was reported on Friday and by Sunday the entire structure had fallen into the river," reports Prensalibre.com.
Industry and trade authorities announce the creation of a center to facilitate customs procedures.
The implementation of the new Import and Export Procedures Center will cut the time taken to carry out customs procedures to two days from the current 30.
Latribuna.hn reports Oscar Escalante, head of the Honduran ministry for trade and industry (SIC), as saying that, "tedious processes damage the economy and hurt producers, which is why ours need to be rationalized in order to make the region's economy and trade more dynamic."
Within one year, the country could be certified as an Authorized Economic Operator by the World Customs Organization.
This certification oversees the entire logistics chain involved in international commerce.
Angela Bigueur, head of the Customs Authority, told Laprensagrafica.com that “the country wants the certification to be recognized internationally for its logistics and tax processes”.
Custom authorities from both sides of the border decided to extend their opening hours.
The Guatemalan custom will open from 6.30 AM to 8.00 PM, while the Mexican office will open at 7.30 AM.
On Saturdays they will implement a pilot plan, which allows empty containers to pass between 6.30 and 8.00 AM, and full ones from 8.00 AM to 3.00PM.
“Long lines of up to 5 kilometers of trucks waiting to cross from the Guatemalan side have been a common sight since early May, due to differences in opening hours and new forms required for cargo entering Mexico”, reported Prensalibre.com.
Only in firsts 19 days of May, $4,66 millions in TV imports had been declared. 73% of them are from Mexico.
In the first 19 days of May, there had been 4.66 million dollars on television import declarations ( Custom tariff code 8528729000). 73% of them are coming from Mexico, displacing by far those with origin from Panama, China and the United States that had an 8.8%, 8.7% and 8.1% respectively of the imports market so far this month.
The fourth annual meeting of the Association for Customs Academic Research and Development will be held starting today to September 30.
250 people are expected to participate in the meeting, which will take place at Hotel San José Palacio.
"This forum is intended for high ranking customs executives, investigators from universities and institutions engaged in customs research, and representatives of international organizations", explained newspaper Prensa Libre.
Next Friday Nicaragua will join the Customs Union, whose current members are El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.
Haroldo Rodas, Guatemalan Chancellor, remarked that Nicaragua's adhesion to the Union will foster trade between the countries of the region, and improve the environment for negotiating the Association Agreement with the European Union.
Newspaper "El Nuevo Diario" published: "Costa Rica is the only country not joining, even though it subscribed the framework agreement and now 'has to take a step towards full implementation', stated Rodas".