The development of trade facilitation and Central American regional integration are closely linked to the efficiency of public services and the competitiveness of companies in support of export activity. In this framework, the customs authorities of Guatemala and El Salvador held a meeting with the transport sector on Wednesday (17.06.2021/XNUMX/XNUMX) to follow up on the implementation of the advance declaration and the placement of Label on the border Peter Alvarado, on the Guatemalan side, and The Axe, on the side of El Salvador.
The two measures are part of the Trade Facilitation Agreement to which both countries are signatories, as part of the Central American Trade Facilitation Strategy. They will apply to the flow of Guatemalan merchandise going to El Salvador or other countries in the isthmus.
In this regard, the Guatemalan Customs Superintendent Werner Ovalle, stated: “We are committed, as the Customs Office of the Superintendency of Tax Administration of Guatemala, to deepen trade facilitation with the Director General of Customs of El Salvador, Samadhy Martinez, in coordination with the private sector chambers, customs agents and transporters.” And he emphasized: “The advance declaration will become a reality.”
This Advance Declaration action is similar to the one implemented by Guatemala and Honduras, since March 1, 2021, at the Integrated Border Post of Corinto, and which also favors clearance times by having the import-export documentation and tax payments previously settled before reaching customs.
It should be noted that the Advance Declaration allows economic operators to carry out customs procedures in advance and speed up the passage of goods through border points.
Wait time
In this way, the customs of Guatemala and El Salvador, through the integration of their electronic systems for obtaining the Advance Declaration, will be able to reduce the waiting time from 4 hours to 30 minutes at the aforementioned border crossing, the administration of El Salvador reported.
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