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.
Since January 1, 2020, Nicaraguan authorities have been charging $25 for the electronic processing of the Single Central American Transit Declaration, a cost that exceeds by 233% what was paid until the end of 2019.
Until December 31 last year, the General Directorate of Customs Services (DGA) charged $7.5 for the Single Central American Declaration in Transit (DUCA), but with the new provision of the authorities, the cost increased by $17.5 for 2020.
The Mocalempa customs and immigration control post in the Honduran province of Lempira began operating.
In order to make it easier for customs users to pay taxes and combat smuggling, the Government of the Republic, through the Presidential Commission for Comprehensive Reform of the Customs System and Trade Operators (Coprisao), today opened Customs Mocalempa, in the Mancomunidad Mapulaca, south of the department of Lempira, border between El Salvador and Honduras, informed the Presidency of Honduras.
After having been extended several times, the contingency plan for DUCA F and DUCA was finalized on July 8, however, there is uncertainty because the platform is not fully operational.
Because the implementation of the Central American Single Declaration continues to generate problems in customs in the region, the contingency plan for DUCA F and DUCA was extended until June 27.
"If you use the Contingency Plan, we suggest that you make sure you arrive at the destination country with the DUCA F and DUCA T duly processed and the supporting documents," reported the Guatemalan Association of Exporters.
Since there are still difficulties arising from the implementation of the Single Central American Declaration, the Contingency Plan for DUCA F and DUCA T was extended until 17 June.
Central American customs authorities agree to maintain in force the Contingency Plan for DUCA F and DUCA T, until June 17, 2019, at 23:59 hours. If the Contingency Plan is used, we suggest that you make sure that you arrive at the destination country with the DUCA F and DUCA T duly processed and the supporting documents," explains a statement from Agexport. See full document.
Until May 20, the validity of the regional contingency plan was extended to customs, which was activated because of the difficulties generated by the use of the Central American Single Declaration.
Since May 7, when the Single Central American Declaration (DUCA) was implemented at the regional level, the situation in customs has been complicated, because of multiple difficulties reported in the import and export processes arising from the implementation of the new system.
Because the entry into force of the Central American Single Declaration has generated delays in the import and export processes, a contingency plan will be implemented at all customs offices in the region.
By agreement of the Council of Ministers of Economic Integration (COMIECO), on May 7 the Single Central American Declaration (DUCA) was implemented at the regional level, a situation that has generated many difficulties arising from the implementation of the new system in the import and export processes.
With the entry into force of the Single Central American Declaration, businessmen in the region report losses because of the delays generated by the implementation of the new system in the import and export processes.
At the end of March, a report was made that the Council of Economic Ministers (COMIECO) agreed to postpone to May 7, 2019, the entry into force of the Single Central American Declaration (DUCA), which had initially been set for April 1, 2019.
With the aim of better publicizing the operation of the Single Declaration, it was agreed to postpone the entry into force of the document until May 7, 2019.
The entry into force of the Central American Single Declaration (DUCA) had initially been set for April 1, 2019.
From the statement of the Single Window for Exports of Guatemala:
March 28, 2019. The Customs Office of the Superintendency of Tax Administration (SAT) informs that the Council of Economic Ministers (COMIECO) in a meeting held on March 28, 2019 in Guatemala City, through Resolution No. 410-2019, agreed to postpone until May 7, 2019, the entry into force of the Central American Single Declaration (DUCA) which had been set for April 1, 2019.
Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras have yet to finalize their Customs Union, since this week a new round of negotiations began in which they will follow up on the project to implement the advance declaration.
Although in December 2018 it was reported that the El Poy integrated border post in Chalatenango, the first to have the necessary infrastructure to operate within the framework of the customs integration of the Northern Triangle, began operating in El Salvador, the unification process is currently under negotiation among the countries.
In El Salvador, the integrated border posts El Poy, in Chalatenango, the first to have the necessary infrastructure to operate within the framework of the customs integration of the Northern Triangle, became operational.
After the adaptation of the border post, the infrastructure and computer systems of El Poy are practically ready to operate, however, the products that will have free circulation between the three countries and which goods will continue to be protected have yet to be defined.
After several rounds of negotiations, El Salvador formally joined the Customs Union process with Guatemala and Honduras, so it will have to adjust its systems to the community information platform.
Authorities from the countries of the Northern Triangle reported that since November 20th, El Salvador has been fully incorporated legally and administratively into the process of Deep Integration of the Customs Union between Guatemala and Honduras.
On November 12th, the VII Round of Negotiations for the inclusion of El Salvador in the integration process towards the free transit of individuals and goods between Guatemala and Honduras began in San Salvador.
The negotiations between the three countries will last the entire week and it is expected that this round of dialogues will address issues related to the customs, migration, sanitary and phytosanitary challenges facing El Salvador.
The second round is being held in Panama, where representatives of the Central American countries will discuss advances and proposals regarding the integration of the region.
The round is formed by two groups, one normative technical and the other IT technical, with a broad agenda that will be discussed from October 15th to 17th. The agreements reached will be presented on Thursday 18th and Friday 19th, at the meeting of the General Directors of Customs of Central America.