Cargo carriers are reporting that customs formalities can take up to 27 hours, due to the constant changes of personnel and their lack of training.
On the border of La Hachadura and Amatillo there are 15 kilometer long lines of vans which are waiting make the appropriate arrangements to pass through. Representatives from the Association of International Freight (Astic) have called for the establishment of a permanent table with the customs office in order to discuss and solve these problems, however, "... the General Department of Customs has shown no interest ...".
On March 18 in San Salvador an event will be held with the theme of opportunities for defense against fines and customs taxes.
From a statement issued by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of El Salvador (Camarasal):
Learning about appeal instruments, consultation and complaints, and the basic principles for documentation, plus a guide for direct users of customs services in Central America.
Starting April chambers of commerce in the region will be providing free training on phytosanitary controls, management at border posts and customs procedures for exporting firms.
From a statement issued by the Chamber of Commerce of Costa Rica:
As of April, the Chamber of Commerce of Costa Rica will be running a training program on trade facilitation for the public and private sector, within the framework of a cooperation agreement signed between the Federation of Chambers of Commerce of Central America (FECAMCO) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to implement the USAID Regional Project on Trade and Market Partnerships.
From February 23rd a pilot plan will be operating, which aims to accelerate the time it takes to process carriers operating at the border.
From a statement issued by the Guatemalan Exporters Association (Agexport):
The Single Window for Exports (VUPE) and CUTRIGUA, announced that as of February 23, 2015, a pilot project will start which aims to facilitate trade at border crossings.
For the third time a suspension has been enacted for the payment of the $18 fee for inspecting containers using scanner machines at customs offices in El Salvador, and will be in effect until January 15, 2015.
Once again the Legislature has decided to continue the suspension of the fee for non-intrusive inspections, this extension will take effect on December 1st.
Central America must improve the quality standards of its products, learn more about the consumers and simplify processes in order to take advantage of the opportunities of the Agreement with the European Union.
In order to maximize the opportunities provided by the Association Agreement which has been signed with the European Union (EU), Central American companies must have a better understanding of the European market, which has more than 500 million consumers who are demanding in terms of quality and food safety. Furthermore, it is essential to simplify export procedures in order to expedite the process of obtaining permits and other procedures which are reducing export competitiveness in Central America.
An announcement has been made of the launch of a pilot scheme for certifying companies as AEO in order to expedite processes at customs offices.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance of El Salvador:
The Ministry of Finance through the Directorate General of Customs, has presented the progress made in AEO in El Salvador, which incorporates best practices customs offices from around the world.
The new extension of the suspension of the payment of $18 for the non-intrusive inspection of international land transit operations is for 60 days starting from September 15, 2014.
For the third time so far this year, the Legislative Assembly has decided to maintain the suspension of the collection of the customs levy, this time until 15 November.
Despite the antiquity of the efforts for Central American integration and for the Customs Union the obstacles to trade between the countries on the isthmus presented by customs offices are notorious.
The Federation of Chambers and Associations of Exporters of Central America (Fecaxca) is once again calling for policies and common strategies for standards and customs procedures.
Businessmen are proposing that the management of customs cease to be the responsibility of the Ministry of Finance and instead be managed by a company from the private sector.
In order to streamline the procedures for customs and facilitate intraregional trade Salvadoran businessmen have prepared a series of proposals to the government, including the creation of a Customs Superintendent managed jointly by the public and private sectors.
In order to expedite intraregional trade it is necessary for customs offices dealing with cargo freight, to be open all hours, just as immigration customs offices are.
A study commissioned by the Federation of Chambers of Commerce of Central America (Fecamco) concluded that there are 87 barriers to trade in the region, one of the major ones being operations of the systems at customs offices at borders, followed by bureaucratic requirements and lack of adequate infrastructure.
Problems persist in the process of reviewing merchandise at the border posts in Amatillo and La Hachadura causing delays to cargo trucks.
Double review processes, recurring failures with x-ray machine inspection and the absence of a contingency plan for unforeseen delays has generated delays of between 19 and 23 hours for the approval of entry and exit of goods, said the Salvadoran Association of International Freight Carriers (ASTIC).
European business people have criticised errors made by customs officials in implementing the terms of the Association Agreement.
After three months of the entry into force of the Association Agreement between Central America and the European Union, a lack of knowledge on the part of customs authorities has complicated the implementation of the trade agreement, as explained by the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Spain (CAMACOES) Italy (Camcig) and Germany.
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:
Now we transport thousands of tons of goods in fast trucks, we dispatch proformas and invoices online ... and there are still customs agencies.
EDITORIAL
The controversy which arose in Guatemala over the proposed creation of the Agile Import Window (VAI by its initials in Spanish) is as old as the world. Not going too far back into the past, we know that when in the late nineteenth century cars began to circulate, in many places the speed of their movement was restricted so that they would not go faster than a horse and buggy, and there were many who protested that this invention would put drivers of carts out of work along with horses and cattle breeders.