Accessing Customs Services through Mobile Phones is Now Available
- Importers may add electronic sub-accounts to their customs agents at “Nafeza” e-portal.
- Continuous coordination is maintained with all bodies to ensure optimal implementation of “Advance Cargo Information” (ACI) system
- Starting from October 1st, 2021, entry of any inbound cargo shall be banned at seaports, except through ACI system.
- Issuance of records for importers, exporters or agents shall be prevented, except for ACI registered members.
- No “export support” shall be given to companies not joining the ACI and electronic bill systems.
- Head of the Egyptian Customs Authority, at the Federation of Egyptian Industries (FEI), states: Joint committee shall be formed to facilitate joining the ACI system.
Head of Tax and Customs Committee at FEI, highlighted:
- High appreciation expressed for the Minister of Finance for his efforts to promote positive interaction with business community.
- We invite companies to register at ACI system to reduce time of customs clearance
—————————–
“We are strongly continuing the implementation of the national project of updating and automating customs management system, according to the presidential directions to facilitate the internal and external trade flows, along with reducing the cost of importation and exportation, decreasing the time of customs clearance and price of goods and services in the domestic markets” Minister of Finance, Dr. Mohamed Maait, assured.
The national single e-portal for national trade “Nafeza” has been updated, and a new version of smart phones’ application has been developed to facilitate procedures for the business community. Accordingly, importers and their customs agents will be able to access the customs system through their smart phones, Dr. Maait also noted.
“Importers may add electronic sub-accounts for their customs agents via the single online e-portal “Nafeza”. Besides, companies’ delegates are allowed to create electronic sub-accounts at the e-portal; thus, helping the business community to electronically follow their consignments, the minister added.
The minister further pointed out the importance of strengthening effective communication with business community to overcome any obstacles and facilitate procedures of joining the ACI system, especially given the fact that, as of next October the first, no inbound shipments shall be allowed to enter through seaports except through ACI application.
He noted that there is a continuous coordination with line bodies of the government to ensure the optimal implementation of ACI. Directions from the Cabinet have been issued for the General Organization for Export and Import Control to not renew or issue new records for neither the importers nor exporters or owners of industrial activity or their customs agents, except for ACI- joined companies, starting from mid-August 2021. In addition, there will not be “export support” for the companies who did not join ACI and electronic bill systems, starting from beginning of October 2021.
In that respect, Head of Customs Authority, Elshahat Ghetory, held an open dialogue with members of the Federation of Egyptian Industries (FEI) in a seminar about customs procedures to the ACI system, assuring that “we continue holding seminars and training workshops in coordination with Misr Technology Services (MTS) for all Customs Authority’s stakeholders; whether being importers, cargo owners or customs agents.
He explained that the unified electronic platform for the domestic trade “ACI” covers more than 90% of the Egyptian imports, and will extend to Safajah, Newbie, Ismailia, and Aswan before the end of this year, hence there will be an electronic link among all custom ports.
He also added that there is a joint committee with the Federation of Egyptian Industries (FEI) to foster communication with the business community and to ensure positive interaction with them; thus, facilitating the procedures of joining the ACI system.
On his part, Dr. Mohamed El-Bahey, head of tax and customs committee at FEI, expressed his appreciation for Dr. Mohamed Maait for his kind response towards the business community’s suggestions, and for taking instant procedures to facilitate the status for business community and encouraging them to join the new system. This positive interaction helps in raising the spirit of optimism and confidence on the part of investors. The minster also called on companies’ owners to register through ACI system before obligatory putting it into force starting from the beginning of October 2021, so as to eventually achieve the desired objective of reducing shipments’ customs clearance time
The said seminar was attended by Dr. Mona Naser, finance minister assistant for customs’ monitoring and development; Mr. Ibrahim Elsegeny, assistant of minister of trade and industry for economic affairs; Mrs. Nagwa Shehata, head of central department of customs’ policies and procedures; Mr. Mohamed Gomaa, head of central department of trade community affairs; Mr. Waleed Hussein, general manager of technical office of the head of customs authority; Eng. Khaled Nasef Selim, consultant of head of Misr Technology Services (MTS); as well as FEI members and stakeholders.