Arab Republic of Egypt Ministry of Trade and Industry General Organization for Export and Import Control

Central Department of Information Technology and Decision-making Support

The Department is competent to the automation of all GOEIC activities through a range of applications and software, as well as providing all services to the foreign trade community by issuing various reports and data in various forms that support exporters, importers and scholars as well as decision makers of the higher authorities. Additionally, the department works to overcome the barriers that face customers through direct communication with them and solves all their problems.

Current Status:

All GOEIC affairs and its branches are automated through a set of applications and software as follows:

• Applications for automated inspections.
• Applications for commercial registers.
• Applications for external laboratories.
• Applications for the foreign trade data warehouse.
• Applications for the unified statistical form.

 Automations are carried out through a huge network linking the headquarters (data center) with GOEIC and its 30 various branches throughout the Republic, such automations are controlled through the following:

• Device and equipment (Hardware)
• Connection lines and internet services (Networks)
• Programs and applications (Software)

 As for connection lines and internet services:

There is a network linking all branches at the headquarters through Orange company at different speeds and according to the nature and size of branches work. Due to the automation of all work, disconnection with any of GOEIC branches is not allowed, so a recovering of the network (3G alternative network) was made by the telecom company in case the connection is lost for any reason.

GOEIC has Internet service provided by TE-Data company used for different works of GOEIC, of which the most important are:

1. Recording results of external laboratories.
2. Linking with many regulatory bodies, such as Customs, Authority of Customs Duty Evasion, Food Supply Police, Administrative Control Authority, Foreign Trade Sector and Ministry of Health to get some reports regarding data of lots that have an issued permit for transfer and storage in seizure and data of completely conforming and completely rejected lots.
3. Linking with inspection and revision companies and registering certificates of inspection prior to shipping
4. Registering request of reviewing registration documents of foreign factories eligible for export to the Arab Republic of Egypt (in accordance with Resolution No. 43).
5. Interactive Portal Services.

Programs and Applications:

• Since 2003 to date, GOEIC has been working using a range of applications and programs within a single working cycle applied throughout all branches of GOEIC. Inside branches of GOEIC, no manual works are allowed, from the arrival of lot, through forming inspection committees, taking relevant procedures, estimating the fees, receiving of samples and releasing of inspection results, to the completion of lot procedures.
• There is an interconnection as well between GOEIC and its branches to regulate internal work (correspondences and internal correspondences).
• There are many typical applications to regulate the internal works of GOEIC such as workers affairs, wages and salaries, stores, accounts, etc.
• There is a set of programs to follow up and control the works of GOEIC such as the Firewalls designed to prevent any breaches from outside GOEIC and special programs to monitor the status of network (for example, crashes and speeds) for all the branches of GOEIC (30 branches).

Future Situation (Development):

In the light of the above, It is clear that GOEIC is one of the governmental bodies that rely, in all its work, on automation, which led to the dependence of all bodies on the data issued by the trade data warehouse because of its high credibility and transparency.

Since the General Organization for Export and Import Control is always one of the leading governmental bodies to focus on modernization and development, it has created its future vision by developing the automation system operating in GOEIC since 2003 driven by the following reasons:

1. Keeping pace with the huge progress in business of software and applications using the latest systems in this field, besides a current extensive development process for the automation and risk management system. Once this process is completed, software and applications of GOEIC will be available through the web with speed and ease of use. Also, GOEIC software can be used through any internet browser and by any device (computer, mobile phone, tablet etc.) without any need to set the used device to particular configurations and limited to specific powers given to the costumer according to rules and laws granted to them and defined by GOEIC.
2. Emerging of many works and tasks for GOEIC since the start of automation and until the present time.
3. Inauguration of many branches and linking them with GOEIC throughout the past years.

The Central Department is doing so through the following departments:

First: General Department of Computers:

This Department provides technical support and follow-up for all the work of branches throughout the Republic and conducts constant development for all programs and applications in GOEIC and ensures the efficiency of data transmission network.

Tasks of Department include:

1. Monitoring work, maintenance and development of computer software.
2. Analyzing requirements of systems in terms of development, modernization and establishment.
3. Providing technical support for all systems and applications.
4. Supervising the developing of various maintenance programs.
5. Designing and operating of communications network on branches level.
6. Developing a secure system for systems and networks and managing the network centrally.
7. Monitoring the operation of all systems on computers and servers.
8. Monitoring the updating of systems and operational software.
9. Supervising the maintenance of all computer systems periodically to avoid interruptions.

Second: General Department for Data Warehouse:

This Department collects data from all the 30 subsidiary branches of GOEIC, ensures its validity and accuracy, reviews it with data warehouse of Customs Authority, provides reports on the movement of foreign trade and transfers data to a data warehouse (Teradata).

Tasks of Department include the following:

1. Reviewing and checking data received from different branches (30 branches) in order to monthly issue it for review with the various 14 export councils and review with exporters and fixing errors, if any.
2. Issuing reports on commercial exchange movement in coordination with the concerned departments.
3. Coordinating with the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) to unify the number of exports, participation in issuing a standard number for commodities and engagement in developing the general strategy of the State.
4. Setting, implementing and designing of reports programs for export councils, companies and various entities.
5. Monitoring the value and size of the actual source by different forms of reports
6. Supporting branches through programs and solving issues

Third: Central Department for Information Center and Decision-making Support

The Department carries out many tasks, competencies and services including:

1. Supervising the development of plans and programs in the field of information, documentation, translation and publishing for the purpose of including them in the annual plan.
2. Supervising works of registering, organizing and indexing of information, data, statistics, documents and programs in a way making it easy to be obtained and utilized.
3. Developing programs and plans that help providing researchers, specialists and workers with the information they need in their researches and studies and guide them to references and publications related to their field of work.
4. Supervising the configuration of external borrowing system for books, references and publications.
5. Supervising the developing of programs dealing with translation and publishing of all new information and data related to exercising GOEIC competences and serving the achievement of its objectives.
6. Supervising the provision of books preservation means in terms of the presentation method according to the latest presentation styles.
7. Supervising the issuance of bulletins and bibliographies related to researches and studies, in addition to the issuance of periodicals that show all types of publications acquired by the Center.
8. Supervising the development of required cataloging systems to serve readers and visitors of the library for information purposes

Fourth: General Department for Commerce Services Center:

For more information about service provided by the center, visit the website page for Trade Services Center by clicking here.