Finance Minister Mohamed Maait said on Thursday 21/1/2021 that the experimental operation of ACI pre-registration system at Egypt’s ports will start in April and will be obligatory as of July 1.

In a statement, the minister said the move comes as part of a national project to automate the Egyptian ports to streamline customs procedures.

The new system, which would reduce the time needed for customs procedures to a maximum of three days, will create an online portal allowing customers to follow the status of their shipments.

The move will also upgrade Egypt's ranking in three important indexes; Doing Business, Global Competitiveness and Macroeconomics, the statement said.

Under the new system, importers will be obliged to post all data related to their shipments electronically and get approvals in advance.

Approvals will be granted in 48 hours from the time the request is submitted, a move that will accelerate customs clearance.

MENA