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.
Authorities from both countries are fine-tuning the final details to begin construction and habilitation of the Engineers Borderland Port in Quiche, Guatemala, which will connect with Nuevo Orizaba, Chiapas, in Mexico.
Guatemalan authorities reported that the process of the Foreign Affairs Ministries is to determine where the entry and exit points of the customs will be, since on the Mexican side modifications would have to be made to match the land.
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.
Industria La Popular, Grupo Cropa and Grupo Vical, are the three companies qualified as new Authorized Economic Operators by the Superintendency of Tax Administration.
According to the authorities at the Superintendency of Tax Administration (SAT), the figure of Authorized Economic Operator (OAS), which is recognized by the World Trade Organization, facilitates trade, security and control, as well as compliance in tax, customs and legal matters.
On December 9th a workshop will be held to highlight the most common problems encountered with processes for imports with the office of the Tax Administration.
From a statement issued by the Guatemalan Exporters Association:
In order to raise awareness of the most common problems faced when carrying out process with the Tax Administration Office for imports, the School of Foreign Trade at AGEXPORT, will be holding on December 9, 2014, a workshop entitled "Defence Mechanisms against Adjustments Reported by Customs".
Businessmen are complaining about delays occurring in the process of non-intrusive inspection of goods.
The productive sector is decrying the fact that the processes for non intrusive inspections of merchandise in Customs Offices in Guatemala are making costs more expensive and extending the time it takes to make exports and imports.
"Fernando Lopez, president of the board of the IGC, said that in the past 15 months the delays have caused an increase in costs because of the long time it takes for inspections."