Customs requests trade to be ready for change at NCE-SAC workshop on ASYCUDA World

“The Sri Lanka Customs  is now streamlining its processes and procedures to facilitate the  export/ import community,”  Dr. Neville Gunawardena, the new Customs  Chief highlighted at a workshop organised by the National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka (NCE) and the Shippers’ Academy Colombo (SAC) last week on the subject of ‘Automation of Customs’.

The ASYCUDA World online system will start introducing step by step automation and take the Customs Department towards a paperless environment by the end of 2012.

NCE Past President Kulathunga Rajapaksa stated that this move will help our exporters to reduce transaction cost and time.

Shippers’ Academy Colombo CEO Rohan Masakorala congratulated the Customs Department and its officials for expediting implementation of a long outstanding system that would help the competitive environment of the country.  

He said that trade facilitation is the key to enable our products to compete in the global platform.   Speed and ease of doing export import clearance is a key requirement and the Customs Department plays a vital role in this connection as the nerve centre.

Speaking at the event which comprised a large gathering of the trade, representation of other institutions such as the SLPA, SAGT, BOI, Sri Lanka Tea Board, BOC stated that they will contribute to the efforts of the Customs and they will be offering online services to facilitate exporters and importers via the ASYCUDA System by linking the respective networks.

Bank of Ceylon has already started to offer online payment accounts, where exporters and importers can make payments on line to customs and the SLPA by March 2012.

Making the presentation outlining the customs system, Dr. Tharaka Mahaulpatha urged the trade to work with customs to make the project a success.  He stated that it is necessary for the exporters and importers to register with the Customs ASYCUDA system which is to be implemented, and as a first step to register for the Direct Trader Input (DTI) facility by March 2012, so that the benefits of the online system could be introduced. The Customs Department indicated the time-lines for changes, and informed the trade to be ready for the transformation.  The NCE and the Shippers’ Academy Colombo will continue their efforts to educate exporters and importers regarding the new system along with the Customs and other supporting agencies.