The Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS) hosted a regional meeting to review the ASYCUDA Sub-Regional Mechanism for the Pacific (ASMP).

The Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA) is a Customs software developed by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) to assist developing countries in the processing of Customs transactions, through the recording of all Import and Export cargoes that cross our borders and to ensure the collection of its correct duties and taxes.

The program is a web-based system, which makes it easier for users to be able to access it from anywhere in the world as long as they have internet access.

Pacific Island Countries that attended the meeting included Samoa, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

FRCS Chief Executive Officer Mr. Visvanath Das who is also the Vice Chair for the World Customs Organization (WCO) Asia Pacific region said that the review is conducted on a yearly basis and the purpose is to assess the support that ASMP office provides to its member administrations.

“The assistance mainly focuses on the ASYCUDA system improvements in allowing the five Customs administration to better their Revenue collection, Facilitation of Trade and Travel and improve their Risk Assessment and Compliance Auditing,” Mr. Das said.

FRCS have sought ASMP offices support in 2018 for the next stage of improvements, which is the development and full automation of all the Customs manual process. This means that Customs processes will be fully automated.

“These stages will include the development of E-payment with financial Institutions, the authorization of containers of cargoes to be released from the wharf through a message transmission between the ASYCUDA system and the Fiji Ports system and the integration of ASYCUDA with other Border Agencies automation system. In addition, the progress of Customs process future is aiming towards Single Window,” Mr. Das stressed.

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