The press release declared that Customs unilaterally decided to increase clearances’ tariffs. This supposed « rise » could cause disruptions in the Port and the rise of prices, added authors of this mislead interpretation.
Customs thus pointed out that it has never been a matter of increasing tariffs.
However, a rectification has been done accordingly to the provisions of Article 18 of the Customs Code. In fact that regulation stipulated that customs’ value of imported goods corresponds to the transactional value, mainly the price paid by the importer.
Thus, this measure is just calling for an effective application of the transactional value in its principle and methods of substitution.
This rectification resulted from an irregular situation: some goods were under evaluated on the declaration and catch-all containers were cleared on the basis of a simple estimation instead of exhaustive customs’ clearance and on each item and because of their real value.
This situation compromises the accurate collection of duties and taxes for the benefit of the public treasury, and then jeopardizes a large part of the industrial fabric and distorts competition rules.
Engaged users will of course find the basis of goods’ clearance corrected but that does not mean tariffs’ increase.
In any case, if the operator manages to certify with authentic documents that the declared value corresponds to the actual paid price, he is not opposed to the correction values.
Nevertheless, if the operator does not respect procedures by presenting authentic required documents for customs’ clearance, real values, which are moreover lower than the usual transactional one, are then applied.
Customs calls for the fiscal patriotism of stakeholders, the responsible use of customs facilitations and tolerances, and the respect of consumer interests.
Customs is renewing its commitment with partners like economic operators, importers, industrial companies, licensed customs agents and other port stakeholders for open and profitable collaboration with the State, population and private sector.
Moreover, on Tuesday, May 28th, 2019 another meeting on values and the local customs clearance was organized, on the initiative of the Customs General Director. Customs’ services responsible for customs’ clearance and economic operators attended at the meeting. On the occasion, stakeholders unanimously welcomed these measures. Another meeting was subsequently convened on Tuesday 11th, June at the Directorate of Customs’ Operations to upgrade economic operators who missed the first information meeting.
This inclusive and participatory approach is an eloquent proof of the availability of customs authorities to discuss with their partners on all matters relating to measures, projects, services’ reorganization and laws and regulations application in customs’ matters. Customs remains receptive to all stakeholders and willing to perpetuate discussions in order to create a permanent dialogue framework for mutual understanding and serenity on customs clearance.