Due to the tropical storms Eta and Iota, severe damage has been reported to the road network in Central American countries, and some border posts in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador have been suspended.
Since November 17, operations were suspended at the El Corinto, El Florido and Aguas Calientes border posts. These areas, shared by Guatemala and Honduras, are not operational, according to the Guatemalan Superintendence of Tax Administration (SAT).
After the contract was signed for the designs of the Penas Blancas and Tablillas border control posts, it is expected that in July 2021 the international bidding process for the construction of these enclosures can be initiated.
The Ministry of Foreign Trade (Comex) informed that on October 28, Duayner Salas, head of the institution, signed with the Consorcio Norte Sur Arquitectos, of Costa Rica, and the company C y C Asesorias Profesionales Limitada, of Santiago de Chile the contract for the design of the border control posts, whose works, as a whole, imply an intervention of an area of approximately 700,000 square meters.
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.
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.
As a result of the exponential growth of e-commerce at the global level, the region's customs authorities will face multiple challenges in the coming years in order to carry out their functions properly.
The current context, with consumers changing their preferences and increasingly valuing ease, convenience and time savings in their purchases, has forced companies to strengthen their online marketing channels, which in turn makes it necessary for Customs to optimize their processes.
The two countries signed an action plan to determine the steps to be taken to achieve a Mutual Recognition Agreement for their Authorized Economic Operators and to facilitate international trade operations.
Once the Mutual Recognition Agreement is signed, the companies that are part of the Authorized Economic Operators Program in Costa Rica will obtain more agile conditions, facilitation of international trade operations, application of best practices in security standards, use of information, and control of traceability, informed the Costa Rican government.
In Guatemala, the public and private sectors signed an agreement to implement the National Plan for the Reduction of Time in Definitive Imports, which contains specific measures to reduce costs in customs.
The action plan is the tool that defines recommendations to advance in the facilitation and modernization of customs that will result in improving the country's competitiveness and business climate, reported AGEXPORT.
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.
Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras agreed that May 4, 2020 is the new date for the use of the Central American Single Invoice and Declaration.
From the Agexport statement:
September 30, 2019. The Ministry of Economy through the Vice-Ministry of Integration and Foreign Trade announced on September 27, 2019 that in a meeting with the Ministerial Instance of the Customs Union of the Republics of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras it was agreed as follows:
The Cortizo administration is preparing a bill to create the Integrated Control System at the border with Costa Rica, with the aim of simplifying the transit of people, vehicles and goods between the two countries.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Panama reported that Alejandro Ferrer, head of the institution, with the support of the Director of the Customs Authority of Panama, Tayra Barsallo, presented to the Cabinet Council, the draft law approving the framework agreement to implement integrated binational control systems at the border crossings between Panama and Costa Rica (Paso Canoa, Rio Sereno and Sixaola).
Costa Rica recurred to the Central American Trade Dispute Resolution mechanism, for the collection of $50 by Nicaraguan customs authorities to Costa Rican cargo carriers entering the country.
The disagreement began after the Nicaraguan authorities on March 15 of this year began to collect a customs tax on the cargo transport in transit or with final destination in the country, which consists of the payment of $50 for each transport unit of goods that passes through land customs.
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.
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