As of October 1st, Guatemala and Honduras will begin operating three Peripheral Customs Offices, areas that will simplify procedures and allow free community mobility between both countries.
Guatemalan and Honduran taxpayers who make definitive imports to each State Party will be the ones to benefit from the implementation of this type of customs, since the goods imported under this modality will enjoy free mobility.
In Guatemala, the Superintendence of Tax Administration authorized Corporación Disatel S.A. to provide the service of electronic tags for the control of containers in the country.
Two companies are expected to complete certification this month to provide the electronic tax stamps service in Guatemala, and by January 2019 they would be operating throughout the entire customs system.
In July of this year, it was announced that the tender for the service of electronic tax stamps for containers in Guatemalan customs would no longer be carried out, allowing several companies to provide their services independently.
The tender for the service of electronic tax stamps for containers passing through Guatemalan customs will no longer be carried out, meaning that several companies will be able to offer their services independently.
Last June the Superintendency of Tax Administration of Guatemala had convened an informative meeting for companies that were interested in the qualification process to provide the electronic tax stamp service.
In protest against the slow pace with which procedures are processed at customs offices, a group of customs managers and truck drivers have blocked off the entrance to the terminal facilities.
Soy502.com reports that on Friday afternoon "... a group of about 350 people blocked access to facilities of the Port of Santo Tomas de Castilla." The blockades started on Wednesday, March 9, causing delays and discomfort for exporters and importers.
Problems in making online payments and in the operation of customs have worsened since the fraud network was dismantled.
The dismantling of the network of officials taking advantage of their positions to commit customs fraud has worsened the problems that often affect businesses which have to interact with the Tax Administration. An online system which is down much of the time and additional delays at customs posts are part of the problems affecting commercial activity in the country.
The Tax Authority of Guatemala has denied the existence of a consensus among Central American countries to implement a unified charge.
The Superintendency of Tax Administration (SAT) of Guatemala denied that there is a consensus among countries to implement a one-time charge for reviewing scanned merchandise flowing through the region, as announced by the Directorate General of Customs of El Salvador.
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 has created the Trade Transparency Unit in order to exchange information with U.S. Customs to detect illegal activity.
The Tax Authority (SAT) in Guatemala will exchange data with the Department of Homeland Security in the United States, said Miguel Gutierrez, head of the SAT.
To that end, the Trade Transparency Unit (UTC) has been created, to exchange information with U.S. customs better control trade.