Madbouly: We continue our efforts to reform the Customs System through providing more facilities and motivations that contribute to improving the investment climate.
He directs the follow-up of implementation of the proposed reform plan for the Advance Cargo Information (ACI), to be in the pipeline as soon as possible.
Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, the Prime Minister, followed up on implementing the development of the customs system and procedures for Advance Cargo Information, during a meeting held today, in the presence of Lieutenant General/ Engineer Kamel El-Wazir, Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development, Minister of Industry and Transport, Mr. Ahmed Kojak, Minister of Finance, Mr. Sherif El-Kilani, Deputy Minister of Finance for Tax Policies, Mr. Essam Omar, Sub-Governor of the Central Bank, Major General/ Essam El-Naggar, Chairman of the General Organization for Export and Import Control (GOEIC), Mr. Ahmed Amawy, Head of the Customs Authority, Mr. Abed Mahran, Assistant Minister of Investment for Enhancing the Investment Climate and Economic Competitiveness, and a number of officials from the concerned entities.
Dr. Mostafa Madbouly emphasized that this meeting comes in connection with the ongoing follow-up of the implementation status of the Advance Cargo Information (ACI) system, as part of the comprehensive overall vision for reforming and developing the customs system. He indicated the continued efforts exerted by various parties concerned with reforming the customs system, seeking to provide more facilitation and motivations that would contribute to improving the investment climate, especially with regard to reducing the customs release time for cargo, and setting up several integrated controls and procedures that ensure achieving this goal.
On his part, Lieutenant General/ Kamel El-Wazir emphasized the importance of the measures and steps being taken to develop the customs system and reduce customs release time for goods, particularly those related to various production requirements, which will contribute to boosting production and manufacturing activities in a wide range of sectors.
The Minister of Finance referred to the Ministry's keenness to cooperate and coordinate with various relevant entities regarding implementation of various procedures and steps related to the Advance Cargo Information, and implementation of the proposed steps to develop and reform the customs system in general.
Mr. Sherif El-Kilani presented the Plan of implementing the development of the Customs System in its various aspects, indicating the ongoing steps to develop the Customs System, especially the steps related to activating the manual of operation and procedures for the automated classification system for items at the customs ports, in addition to the steps to automate the developed export cycle, which includes providing the necessary instructions to all shipping lines and agencies, container terminals and yards towards developing their own automated systems and integrate with the "Nafeza" platform, in addition to the steps to facilitate the Advance Cargo Information (ACI). It was noted that, within this framework, the electronic payment method has been made available within the system with a secure and authenticated system. The Customs Authority's website has also been effectively updated, and a large part of the required manuals have been completed regarding import, export and customs procedures.
The Deputy Minister of Finance added that the customs system development plan also included granting the advantage of customs clearance at the customer's headquarters to companies enrolled in the white list and joining the economic operator program. He pointed out in this regard that the requirements necessary for joining the authorized economic operator program are being reviewed, in an effort to double the number of companies joining the program and provide the opportunity for the entities to be engaged in such program, in line with the state's direction to support medium and small enterprises. He pointed out that due to granting some facilities to economic operator companies, the number of those joining the program has been increased to 664 operators.
Mr. Sherif El-Kilani also tackled other steps being taken within the framework of developing the customs system, including reducing customs release times, motivating workers in logistics centers to achieve targeted rates, and increasing the effectiveness of joint inspection committees to control the imported and exported goods by appointing a supervisor from the Customs Authority at each logistics center to coordinate with other entities. In addition to implementation of a training plan to develop and raise the technical capabilities of Customs Authority's employees in specialized, educational, and skills-based fields, in coordination with several specialized academic entities, thus enhancing the Authority’s human capabilities to carry out the tasks assigned to it efficiently and effectively.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister reviewed the results of the reform plan for the Advance Cargo Information, in accordance with the coordination processes undertaken with various entities. He also recognized the latest developments in implementing the system. Mr. Sherif El-Kilani explained that the total value of released goods including the petroleum products, during the period from January 1st of 2024 until the middle of this May, reached $105.3 billion. This figure includes production requirements and the raw materials worth $43.5 billion, in addition to about $26.4 billion as a value of the released strategic goods.
The Deputy Minister of Finance for Tax Policy added that the total value of released goods during the period from 1st of January until the middle of May of the same year reached $27.2 billion, including in production supplies and raw materials with a value of $11 billion, and strategic goods reached $6.8 billion.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the Prime Minister directed the need to follow up on the implementation of the proposed reform plan for the Advance Cargo Information (ACI), in order that such plan will be in the pipeline as soon as possible.
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