Central American countries continue to advance in the modernization and simplification of their customs processes with a new push for the mandatory adoption of the Harmonized Model of Advance Declaration. During the week of May 12-16, 2025, in San José, Costa Rica, the "Regional Workshop for the Review and Technical Validation of the Procedure and Roadmap for the Implementation of the Harmonized Model for the Use of the Mandatory Advance Declaration".
This activity brought together Delegates from the customs authorities of the six Central American countries —Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and Costa Rica— with the aim of strengthening regional cooperation and standardizing technical criteria that facilitate foreign trade and improve coordinated border management.
Costa Rica, which assumed the Pro Tempore Presidency of the Central American Integration System (SICA) in January 2025, hosted this meeting, which received technical support from the Secretariat for Central American Economic Integration (SIECA) and funding from the European Union through the ECOTRADE Project.
Felipe León, representative of the Panama Customs, highlighted in statements to Aduana News that "the countries in the region have agreed to submit advance declarations, which will ensure compliance with non-tariff regulations, such as permits and certificates, and guarantee tax payment in the importing country. This will reduce lines at border crossings by preventing transport units from arriving without declarations or with pending procedures, ensuring that everything is completed in the importing country as a condition for initiating transit in the country of origin."
According to SIECA, this progress is part of the Central American Strategy for Trade Facilitation and Competitiveness, with an Emphasis on Coordinated Border Management (ECFCC) 2023, which seeks to simplify, digitize, and interoperate customs processes to facilitate regional trade.
Among its projects are the design and development of the Central American Digital Trade Platform (PDCC), the strengthening of the Single Windows for Foreign Trade, and the regional implementation of the Single Central American Declaration (DUCA) in its various forms.
With this workshop and the joint actions of the six countries, Central America is advancing on its path toward trade facilitation, according to the same official sources.
For more information, we recommend consulting the Central American Strategy for Trade Facilitation and Competitiveness with Emphasis on Coordinated Border Management (ECFCC-2023), available at official SIECA website.
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.
