Cairo: Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister, convened a high-level meeting to assess strategies for reforming the customs system and reducing smuggling. The session included Engineer Kamel El-Wazir, Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development, Minister of Industry and Transport; Ahmed Koshak, Minister of Finance; Sherif El-Kilani, Deputy Minister of Finance for Tax Policies and Supervisor of the Customs Authority; Major General Essam El-Naggar, Head of the General Authority for Export and Import Control; among other officials from relevant ministries and authorities.
According to State Information Service Egypt, the Prime Minister highlighted the necessity of customs system reform as a crucial step to boost the competitiveness of national exports and enhance the business landscape. Minister Ahmed Koshak outlined the primary measures in the reform plan, pinpointing the responsible authorities and timelines, and identifying those needing legislative changes.
The reform plan includes incentives such as installment payments for customs duties on production inputs, streamlining the pre-clearance system, and providing customs clearance benefits at client locations for companies on the white list and those in the economic operator programme. It also aims to cut customs release times, create procedure guides for customs clients, enable electronic payments, and establish logistics service centres to improve transit trade.
The Minister of Finance also discussed regulatory steps within the customs system, including monitoring goods movement, reviewing customs tariff categories, especially for targeted goods and industrial sectors, and training customs staff to enhance technical skills. The plan involves updating the Customs Authority’s website, expanding licensing for general customs warehouses in dry ports, and reviewing conditions for joining the economic operator programme, with a goal to increase participating companies to 500.
Minister Koshak also reported on the detection of smuggling crimes in 2024, the types of seized goods, and proposed controls to reduce smuggling. He suggested electronic development measures to close smuggling loopholes.
Major General Essam El-Naggar presented the implementation status of facilitation measures to improve customs release times and enhance trade indicators. Continuous operation of customs authorities in shifts has increased task completion and shipment inspections. The Export and Import Control Authority has issued instructions to ease white list registration for company benefits.
The Authority launched an electronic portal in January 2024, offering services in three languages, simplifying registration for exporters and importers, and providing updated information as part of a digital transformation plan. The portal also facilitates the issuance of importer and exporter cards via the Digital Egypt platform.
Dr. Amani El-Wassal, Executive Director of the Export Development Fund, detailed the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade’s measures to reduce smuggling, specifying the responsible entities. Actions include tightening procedures at customs outlets to prevent smuggling and monitoring released shipments.