Egypt eases customs procedures to support business community
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly held a meeting on Wednesday at the government headquarters in the New Administrative Capital to review proposed measures for developing the customs system.
The meeting was attended by Minister of Finance Ahmed Kouchouk, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Hassan El-Khatib, Deputy Minister of Finance for Tax Policies and Supervisor of the Customs Authority Sherif El-Kilany, Head of the Tax Authority Rasha Abdel Aal, Chairperson of the General Organization for Export and Import Control (GOEIC) Essam El-Naggar, and other officials from relevant entities.
At the start of the meeting, Madbouly emphasized that the government is implementing a series of measures to facilitate customs procedures as part of its broader strategy to build trust and foster a productive partnership with both local and foreign businesses. He noted that these efforts align with the government’s financial policies aimed at stimulating economic growth.
During the meeting, Minister of Finance Ahmed Kouchouk outlined the proposed customs facilitation measures, which involve approximately 19 legislative and procedural reforms. These aim to streamline customs clearance, expedite customs payments, enhance the customs system, and strengthen oversight at entry points.
Kouchouk highlighted key aspects of these proposals, including easing customs tax payments, facilitating the pre-clearance system, activating the pre-inquiry service, publishing a guide on import and export customs procedures, compiling customs circulars, and improving communication with customs stakeholders.
He further explained that the proposed measures introduce simplified mechanisms for resolving customs disputes, reducing clearance times, and reinforcing oversight while enhancing the technical capabilities of Customs Authority personnel.
Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Hassan El-Khatib presented the first package of facilitation measures, aimed at improving customs clearance efficiency and enhancing Egypt’s trade performance indicators.