Local authorities announced that as of March 7, cargo vehicles traveling through the country from Costa Rica will no longer pay $50 at Nicaraguan customs.
The Superintendency of Tax Administration of Guatemala is putting out to tender bolted and cable type registration plates, to be used on freight transport units.
Guatemala Government Purchase 8453039:
"Detail of the required plates:
-380,000 bolt-type mechanical registration plates.They must be provided with two pieces called male and female.It must be made of steel, with a white plastic coating or, failing that, another color that facilitates visual and technological reading.
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.
El Salvador is proposing implementing a single charge for non intrusive inspection of goods at borders with Guatemala and Honduras.
The Directorate General of Customs (DGA) announced that Central American countries could implement a single charge for intrusive inspection of goods. Guatemala and Honduras have shown interest in this system proposed by El Salvador.
Congress has confirmed the exemption from payment of $18 for non intrusive inspections of all goods, including exports and imports.
The suspension of the payment of $18 for the X-ray inspection of the goods will be for six months from its publication in the Official newspaper, providing President Funes endorses it.
From a press release issued by the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador:
Exporters have reported inconsistencies in the system of non-intrusive inspections at customs offices in El Salvador.
Exporters are complaining they have paid the $18 fee more than once for scanned inspections of the same container. This is because "in some cases they are charging per product declaration issued not per the number of containers, in other words, if a container has more than one product then you must pay the fee for each one ...".
Salvadoran exporters and importers will continue to pay the $18 fee per load and only goods passing through will be exempt from the fee.
The authentic interpretation of the decree eliminating a charge of $18 for the non-intrusive inspection services at Salvadoran Customs offices was vetoed by President Mauricio Funes. Salvadoran exporters and importers will continue to pay the $18 fee per load and only goods passing through will be exempt from the fee.
The regional union is bringing charges to the Central American Court of Justice over what it considers to be undue customs fees in El Salvador.
The American Federation of Freight (Fecatrans) announced that it is preparing a lawsuit against El Salvador at the Central American Court of Justice (CCJ). The union is complaining about the fees that carriers pay at customs offices in that country, which it considers improper.
While in customs offices the $18 fee is still being charged, those employers affected by it are concerned and are asking for a refund of what they have already paid.
The Chamber of Commerce of El Salvador (CCES) expects the authentic interpretation of the decree exempting the charge for the service of non-intrusive inspection of exports and imports and international transit of goods, to be published soon in the Official Journal, as the $18 fee is still being charged at the borders of the country.
The suspension of payment for customs inspections in El Salvador applies to goods in international transit and those with a local destination.
From a press release issued by the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador:
The Legislature has approved an authentic interpretation of Decree 604, approved on January 16, which contains exceptional and transitional provisions applied to the "Customs Simplification Act" to suspended for a period of 180 days, the fee for the provision of non-intrusive inspections, whose office of departure and destination are within or outside the borders of El Salvador.
Salvadoran exporters are asking for clarification over the regulation that puts on hold the fee of $18 per inspection of goods.
The Corporation of Exporters of El Salvador (Coexport) asked the Government to clarify which goods have to be inspected at customs and pay the $18 fee. They explain that there is confusion occurring at the regional level which must be addressed.
The authorities at customs offices in Guatemala and Honduras have opened new routes for regional transit of goods between the two countries.
The aim of the opening of new routes at the borders between the two countries, in El Florido and Agua Caliente, is to streamline regional trade which has been blocked because of the protests over the application of a fee of $18 in Salvadoran customs offices for X-ray inspection of trucks.
President Funes has asked Congress to suspend for 180 days the fee charged for inspecting goods in transit using scanners.
From a press release issued by the Presidency of El Salvador:
The President, Mauricio Funes, today appealed to the Legislature, through a project for a proposed temporary decree, to suspend the collection of $18 for non-intrusive inspections in the case of goods going through customs offices which are destined to go out of the country, an issue which has generated a dispute at the borders.
Central American companies are asking the Salvadoran government to intervene in the conflict, which is already generating huge losses.
Legislation in the region allows customs offices to design nonintrusive inspection methods, but these should not generate arrears in clearance or excessive costs which obstruct the free movement of goods, services and people.
Only cargo destined for El Salvador should be charged with the $18 fee for the inspection with scanner, request freight carriers.
According to the Secretariat for Central American Economic Integration (SIECA), this fee violates conventions and trade agreements in the region. In addition, they believe that the inspections and the time it takes to submit all shipments to the procedures are excessive.