On Friday (18.08.2023/XNUMX/XNUMX), the Bolivian National Customs Office presented the first "Dispatch Time Study", developed under the WCO methodology, on the border with Argentina (Yacuiba).
This is an internationally recognized strategic tool for measuring the current time required for the clearance and lifting of goods, from the moment of arrival at the point of entry until the moment of departure, with the aim of identifying delays in the flow of trade and designing actions to improve the effectiveness of clearance procedures.
"This study, carried out in May on the border between Argentina and Bolivia (Yacuiba), has determined an action plan consisting of 24 short, medium and long-term tasks," said the Executive President of the National Customs, Karina Serrudo.
Serraudo announced the results at the launching ceremony held at the Chuquiago Marka Fairgrounds (La Paz) with the participation of the Minister of Economy and Public Finance, Marcelo Montenegro, the Vice Minister of Tax Policy, Jhonny Cristian Morales Coronel, the National Representative of the Program of the Embassy of Switzerland, María Amparo Ergueta, the Manager of the Global Program for Trade Facilitation WCO - SECO, María Ortiz Bolívar and the Regional Vice President of the WCO for the Americas and the Caribbean, Martha Elba Garamendi Espinoza.
Study phases
Among its particularities, the work contemplated four phases: the preparation of the study, followed by the collection and recording of data, the analysis and finally, the evaluation.
In the first phase, a TEAM multidisciplinary body for the execution of the study, formed by the National Customs, the General Directorate of Migration (DIGEMIG), the National Service of Agricultural Health and Food Safety (SENASAG), the Bolivian Warehouse Concessionaire (ALBO), the Association of the Chamber of Transportation of the Gran Chaco and the Association of South Eastern Transportation.
Once this team was formed, the professionals proceeded with the data collection over a period of seven days (from May 8 to 14), considering as a study sample all the means of transport that arrived at the town of Salvador Mazza (Argentina) for the corresponding processing until its conclusion in Bolivian territory.
After extensive tracking, important results were obtained results, Among them, 45% of the procedures correspond to import clearances in the advance modality and 74% of the procedures began and concluded in the Integrated Control Area (ACI).
As for the hours used for a procedure, a means of transport with nationalized merchandise, requirements and formalities fulfilled, crosses the border (Argentina – Bolivia) in an average of 44 hours and 46 minutes, when it comes to border clearances; in 86 hours and 45 minutes when it is a general clearance and in an average of 47 hours and 59 minutes, at the time of a customs transit to customs in the interior of the country.
In addition, the study identified five bottlenecks: The first, upon arriving at the town of Salvador Mazza, the absence of internet in the Resguardo 2 area, the start of the authorization for the International Cargo Manifest (MIC), the hours of attention in the customs area currently established at 10 continuous hours from Monday to Friday generating dead hours and the fifth, is the time for the issuance of the SENASAG certification.
Action plan
In view of these problems, the Bolivian Customs indicated that an action plan was drawn up with 24 short, medium and long term tasks. Among the most important tasks in the short term are: the modification of the opening hours of the Yacuiba Border Customs Administration in the Campo Pajoso Customs Enclosure, intended for procedures to customs in the interior of the country. "All this action will reduce the current average by at least 15 hours," he said.
On the other hand, in the medium term, Bolivian Customs will implement a scanner and cameras for the reception of means of transport at the Campo Pajoso Customs Enclosure.
In the long term, it also plans to implement digital signatures in the issuance of permits, prior authorizations and certifications by SENASAG, achieving the transmission of information in the Single Customs Modernization System (SUMA).Presentation of the Dispatch Time Study)
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