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.
Delays are reported in Salvadoran customs in San Cristóbal and La Hachadura, and difficulties in the port of Santo Tomás de Castilla, in Guatemala, because of the implementation of DUCA.
The Inter-American Commission for Trade Facilitation (CIFACIL) of El Salvador asked the Superintendency of Tax Administration (SAT) of Guatemala, to work to solve the problems that Salvadoran companies are facing in the port of Santo Tomás de Castilla, Guatemalan maritime terminal in the Atlantic, arising from the implementation of the Single Central American Declaration (DUCA).
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.
In the fourth round of negotiations to incorporate El Salvador into the customs union process with Guatemala and Honduras, issues such as internal taxes, phytosanitary measures and tariffs, among others, will be discussed.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Economy of El Salvador:
A key factor in economies´competitiveness is the unrestricted movement of the available human and material resources, and this is where the customs integration of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador falls very short.
EDITORIAL
Jorge Cobas González Director of CentralAmericaData.COM
Businesses have reported difficulties when using the system that generates the invoice and the Central American single statement form and state that the three integrated customs offices are not working.
Integration of customs systems in Honduras and Guatemala started three months ago, but not in the agile way that the companies that trade in the region had hoped for. The difficulties are such that many exporters and importers are still using the old form, and not the Central American Single Invoice and Statement (known as Fyduca in Spanish).
Construction of the new intermediate customs facility has already started at Metalío, and it is expected to be ready to start operations within three months.
Honduran freight carriers have reported a 15% increase in trade between the two countries in the last two months.
In addition to a significant reduction in the delivery times for merchandise, entrepreneurs who market products between Honduras and Guatemala also report an increase in the volume sold.
The Morales administration has announced that they will be formalizing the crossing between Ingenieros, Quiché, and Nueva Orizaba, Chiapas, in order to facilitate cross-border trade in that area.
As part of this project, Foreign Minister Carlos Raúl Morales explained that a 19 kilometer road to Playa Grande is also planned.
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