Customs to expedite import clearance procedures<\/p>\n
Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Directorate General of Customs and Excise has promised to cut
\nbureaucracy and expedite import clearance procedures in a bid to
\nhelp improve the competitiveness of the country's firms and
\nattract investment.<\/p>\n
Director General of Customs and Excise Eddy Abdurrachman made
\nthe pledge on Wednesday during separate meetings with officials
\nof the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), and
\nthe Association of Indonesian Delivery Service Companies
\n(Asperindo).<\/p>\n
\"We want to help the business sector, which has been facing
\nvarious problems,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Eddy said that starting February 1, dozens of other companies
\nwould be allowed to enjoy fast-track import clearance facilities,
\nor what is locally known as \"green lane\" privileges.<\/p>\n
Under this facility, importers are able to clear their goods
\nwithout undergoing document examinations and physical checks by
\ncustom officials.<\/p>\n
In November last year, the government extended the facility to
\n10 reputable companies.<\/p>\n
Businesses have often complained about the long procedures
\ninvolved in the customs clearance process when importing raw
\nmaterials, which in turn adversely affects the goods production
\nand delivery processes.<\/p>\n
The customs office has also agreed to discuss the design of
\nimport tax policy with businessmen. This will also help avoid
\nextortion by customs officials.<\/p>\n
Eddy said that the customs office would set up an integrated
\ncoordination system for the exchange of information on smuggling
\nand corruption involving customs officials.<\/p>\n
Eddy explained that the customs office would also introduce
\nmeasures to curb smuggling. Businessmen are to be encouraged to
\nprovide information on smugglers and their operations to the
\ncustoms office.<\/p>\n
Domestic firms have also complained about rampant smuggling in
\nthe country. Smuggling hurts their home market as they find
\nthemselves unable to compete with cheaper, smuggled goods. This
\nhas also discouraged some manufacturing companies from making new
\ninvestments.<\/p>\n
Eddy promised Asperindo that the customs office would finally
\napprove a request to cut bureaucratic import clearance procedures
\nwithin industrial bonded zones.<\/p>\n
The policy has been implemented on a trial basis since
\nNovember last year.<\/p>\n
Eddy said that the cut in bureaucracy would ensure that import
\nclearance procedures for companies within the bonded zones would
\nbe completed in less than 24 hours.<\/p>\n
Previously, many companies became frustrated as they had to
\nwait for between four days and one week to have their goods
\ncleared.<\/p>\n
The new policy should attract investment into the country's
\nbonded zones.<\/p>\n
Alan Cassels, a senior technical advisor for express delivery
\ncompany DHL Indonesia, said the new policy would boost efficiency
\nas there would be no more delays during the inbound shipment of
\ngoods destined for bonded zones.<\/p>\n
\"There will be no more staff sitting at the warehouse for a
\ncouple of days doing nothing. Anything that speeds the process of
\ncustoms clearance up is good for Indonesian business,\" said
\nCassels.<\/p>\n
Cassels further said that with the various measures announced
\nby the customs office, Indonesia had become the country with the
\nfastest import clearance procedures in the Asia Pacific region.<\/p>\n
\"We measure how fast the goods came into the warehouse and how
\nfast they come out. Of the 14 biggest countries we assess,
\nIndonesia used to be between 12th and 14th, but since the new
\npolicy was introduced, Indonesia has now leaped to the top,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The customs office has also decided to raise the minimum
\nweight and value of goods to be granted express clearance from
\nthe current maximum of 20 kilograms to 100 kilograms, and up to a
\nmaximum value of US$5,000.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/customs-to-expedite-import-clearance-procedures-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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