The interiors exporters complain about cost overruns in the Customs
They say that the system has faults that delay shipments; the director of the agency promised to lower the amount of operations by red channel.
Córdoba.- Chamber of Foreign Trades managers from this province (Cacec) told Diego Dávila (Customss director general), that they needed a solution for some aspects that generate excess costs for exports and imports to interiors businessmen. The director told them that, precisely, he recently assumed for applying a cost reduction plan.
Eduardo Serena, director of operations and cameras secretary, claimed that Dávila «had taken note» of the changes that are required and ratified that they are working on a reengineering to dismantle an excessive bureaucratic scheme and some pockets of corruptionin the organism. The most specific and urgent problem is that the multi-customs system, which only uses the interior ones, has been working for months with «intermittences, especially during the rush hour of operation».
There are delays and cost overruns because they can not register the shipment or manage the boarding permits. «You have to reschedule activities, work after hours; its a problema that comes a long time ago», says Serena.
Another key aspect is the transit controls of the merchandise, which affect the non-port or border customs. Córdoba is the most important. A little more than three years ago, an electronic seal system was established to monitor the transfer of merchandise from its entry to the point where it is nationalized. «We shared the idea because the cost was relatively low,» says Serena, «but it has been distorted and today has a high incidence.» He points out that very few companies provide the seal service, so that prices «had soared», while adding costs from legally unsustainable requirements, such as «guarantees that these providers hire and resell».
The scheme has a cost that varies between 700 and 1500 dollars, «which puts the interior at a disadvantage». Also, if the entry is through the port of Buenos Aires, controls are carried out that lengthen the stay and multiply by up to five the costs of staying in port.
Dávila ratified that he is progressing in the tasks to reduce the amount of merchandise that is controlled by the red channel, which is currently between 40 and 45% of the containers. Based on a «smarter» selectivity model, the objective is to reach an «intermediate value» between the current one and that of developed countries, which is around 7%.
The businessmen admit that there are improvements in the retention times of merchandise and in the lowering of the costs of guarantees, since it was extended to surety bonds.
There is still a need to resolve some controversies regarding the procedures to be followed for products with restrictions, when, in addition to customs, third parties are involved; for example, cases of medicines or merchandise subject to electrical certification.
Serena points out, regarding the implementation of a Single Registry of Foreign Trade, that many procedures that were previously through physical procedures were already computerized. «It will take time, but there are advances».
In conclusion, if the idea of carrying 7% containers by red channel as in Europe is carried out, it is possible that there is more contraband than there is currently, the same happens when presenting the certificates for the nationalization of the merchandise, if some of these are overlooked, it may be counterproductive because the controls would be smaller.
In this way the work is more extensive and bureaucratic, but at the same time a more regular control is carried out.