A court ruling has overturned the SAT resolutions authorizing Empresa Portuaria Quetzal y Terminal de Contenedores Quetzal to operate as temporary customs warehouses.
Although the Superintendency of Tax Administration (SAT) has announced that it will be appealing the ruling given by the Second Administrative Appeals Chamber, the reality is that since June 28, the activities of the customs warehouses in Empresa Portuaria Quetzal (EPQ) have been suspended as well as those at the Terminal de Contenedores Quetzal (TCQ)."...The resolution orders that the SAT no longer has the customs service under its administration, which contravenes the Central American Customs Code CAUCA, therefore the Superintendency will file an appeal against the decision made by the Court."
Alcoholic beverages, technological equipment and chemical products are some of the products most affected by the disappearance of containers which has been denounced by the union of importers in Costa Rica.
The Costa Rican Chamber of Importers has expressed its concern at the "extreme" security measures which have to be taken to ensure that containers with imported goods reach their destination without being stolen in transit.Its director, Katherine Chaves, told Diarioextra.com that in some cases the containers disappear from thestorage zones.
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.
Central American industry is calling for strengthening of customs controls in the region, in order to contain the constant border crossings made with smuggled goods.
According to Carlos Enrique Rivera, secretary general of the Federation of Chambers and Industrial Associations of Central America and the Dominican Republic (FECAICA), at the border located in Melchor de Mencos, Peten, which borders Belize, there is no control to prevent the entry of illegal goods, which apparently heads toward Mexico, but 15% remains in Guatemala, without having made tax declarations.
Salvadoran Customs offices have increased charges for procedures at night or at weekends, from $6.86 to $315.24.
According to representatives from business and industry, this measure taken by the Salvadoran government, threatens to undermine the productive chain and business in the country.
"The discomfort arises because the Ministry of Finance through the Directorate General of Customs, promoted Executive Agreement number 763, published in the Official Journal on 29 April, which details charges of $259.33 per hour for extraordinary services (those between 4:00 and 6:00 pm), when previous charges were $3.43 ", reported Elsalvador.com .