The customs administrations of Central America have prepared this Saturday (03.07.2021/XNUMX/XNUMX) a Logistics mega-operation for the launch of the new phase of the Dispatch Time Study, with regional scope, in line with its commitment to increase the effectiveness of procedures between agencies operating with different actors at borders and to optimise measures aimed at facilitating trade.
This initiative is led by the Central American Customs Committee under the coordination of the Council of Ministers of Economic Integration (COMIECO), with the Technical support from the World Customs Organization (WCO) and the Secretariat for Central American Economic Integration (SIECA).
According to SIECA, Preparatory work is being carried out at the different border posts in Central America for phase 2, which involves the collection of field information from the Regional Dispatch Time Study that will be carried out over six days (July 05-11, 2021).
In addition, the technical body reported that the tasks seek prepare staff which will be responsible for controlling data collection and validating the instruments required to execute the methodology suggested by the World Customs Organization (WCO).
This measurement will be carried out to determine the land transit time of goods and the evaluation of processes at seven selected border posts, in order to identify actions necessary to make customs processes more efficient.
The Seven Border Posts selected are the following:
- Pedro de Alvarado-La Hachadura (Guatemala-El Salvador)
- Saint Kitts (Guatemala-El Salvador)
- Amatillo (El Salvador-Honduras)
- Guasaule (Honduras-Nicaragua)
- White Rock-White Rocks (Nicaragua-Costa Rica)
- Canoas Pass-Canoas Pass (Costa Rica-Panama)
- Sixaola-Guabito (Costa Rica-Panama)
This The work is part of the Central American Strategy for Trade Facilitation and Competitiveness with an Emphasis on Coordinated Border Management and the commitments of Central American countries in the Trade Facilitation Agreement of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The Regional Dispatch Time Study is conducted in four phases. Phase 1 involves preparing the study, Phase 2 is focused on data collection and recordingPhase 3 involves data analysis, and Phase 4 consists of monitoring and evaluation including the presentation of a proposed Regional Action Plan.
It should be recalled that the first phase was carried out in December 2020, with the support of the WCO, when customs service officials in the region were trained in the methodology for measuring clearance times. Subsequently, from May 17 to 19, customs administrations carried out the pilot plan for the First Regional Study on Clearance Times with an emphasis on Central America.
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