Egypt finance ministry is aiming at offering all support and facilities necessary to encourage importers to join the Advanced Cargo Information (ACI) system, Head of the Customs Authority Kamal Negm said. The ACI system pilot phase will start on April 1 before it becomes obligatory on July 1. Negm underlined the benefits of the new system and registration procedures. The ACI will first be applied at maritime ports and then it will be introduced at airports and land terminals in a later stage. Speaking about Nafeza project, he said the project includes the initial customs registration number "ACID", Advanced Cargo Information (ACI) system and e-signature. Nafeza "The Single Window" platform is based on establishing the foundations of an integrated secure information platform and a modern and sustainable electronic system to regulate procedures at all Egyptian ports. Talking more about the new platform, he said importers will submit digital documents for the imported goods to the customs authority through the (single window) platform before shipping them to the country in order to get the initial customs registration number "ACID" . The authority will notify the importer with the "ACID" customs registration number to be recorded in the shipping documents relating to the imported goods. The e-signature will be used in the data entry and the electronic registration of all data and documents for the pre-registration system (ACI). He said the Advance Cargo Information (ACI) is a key part of the project as it will help give a prior customs approval to import shipments by recording the basic data of the supplier, the importer, and the imported goods through a window site.
