A new service lane and exclusive immigration staff for transporters entering and leaving Chile were some of the measures agreed to improve truck traffic in the Colchane border complex, located 238 kilometers east of Iquique and 3.690 meters above sea level.
The agreement was reached at a meeting led by the Governor of Tamarugal, Luis Tobar Toledo; the Director General of Integration and Economic Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bolivia, José Enrique Colodro Baldiviezo; and the Regional Director of the Iquique Customs Office, Cristian Molina Silva.
Governor Tobar said that the meeting served to discuss and clarify various points related to the transit of trucks in the border complex. "It was a very positive meeting and we had the opportunity to learn about different points of view in order to deal with the large flow of trucks and provide the best possible service to both transporters and tourists and international travelers.”.
The official added that a lane or road will be created exclusively for trucks that travel empty or in ballast, and that immigration personnel from Chile and Bolivia will be assigned exclusively to assist truck drivers.
Authorities from Bolivia and Chile sign the agreement. Photo: Chilean Customs
Better border management
The Regional Director of Customs, Cristian Molina, praised the collaborative work and integrated border management aimed at improving inspection and facilitation processes."Border crossings are key to international trade and our mission is to protect the entire logistics chain. This year we have already carried out more than 100 drug procedures and numerous cases of smuggling of entry and export in Colchane, so we increased our staff and reoriented processes.”, He said.
He also noted that this year in Colchane, compared to the same period in 2018, there has been an increase of 39% in truck loads, 11% in passengers and 22% in vehicles. "This demonstrates the importance that this point has acquired for trade between Chile and Bolivia."He said.
In this regard, the Director General of Integration and Economic Cooperation of the Bolivian Foreign Ministry, José Enrique Colodro Baldiviezo, highlighted: "This demonstrates the great commercial exchange that we have between both countries and the importance of this step for the economy and trade of both States."
Bolivian truck drivers' leaders also participated in the meeting and promised to disseminate the legal and regulatory standards of both countries in order to facilitate the flow of trucks when presenting documentation for entry or exit from Chile.
Aduana News is the first Argentine customs newspaper to launch its digital version. With 20 years of experience, its publications and initiatives aim to provide the most relevant knowledge on customs issues in order to contribute to safe trade in the region.
