A total of 4,000 Egyptian importers have registered so far on the Advance Cargo Information (ACI) system. This figure represents about 1.5% of the total number of importers, according to Matta Beshay, Head of the Internal Trade Committee at the Division of Importers at the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce ( FEDCOC). Beshay added that this number is very small and that the new system cannot be evaluates on the basis of this number. He called for speedy registration on the new system, and to enter the trial phase. This would help avoid errors in the compulsory phase. Beshay added that the division conducts training courses to explain how to register on the ACI. He added that importers must be quick to register so that decision makers can avoid defects that may occur after a large number of importers enter the new ACI system for pre-registration of shipments. Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait issued a ministerial decision on the implementation procedures regarding the Egyptian Customs Authority's (ECA) new digital platform, which goes live later this year. The minister said that shipping companies will be required to send information about their cargo electronically to the platform, which was launched experimentally on 1 April, and which will be mandatorily applied from 1 July 2021. The first phase includes seaports, then it will move to the air and land ports, and pre-registration of imported shipments is required to make sure that the imported shipments matches what enters Egyptian ports. Beshay added that one of the most important advantages of the ACI is simplifying customs release procedures for goods. It helps customs and the concerned authorities to start the release procedures before shipments arrive by providing a prior exchange of information and documents for shipments electronically. In addition to this, it helps to eliminate the issue of neglected goods and stagnation in ports. This is by providing exporter, importer and commodity data before shipment and assessment of the initial risks of the shipments.
