Egypt: Sisi Orders Shortening Customs Clearance Time, Simplifying Procedures

7th October 2020 – Sisi orders shortening customs clearance time, simplifying procedures President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has ordered the customs development strategy to be focusing on the governance of Egypt’s exports and imports, in addition to simplifying customs clearance procedures and shortening their time. Sisi issued his directives on Tuesday 6/10/2020 at a meeting…

AEO customs transactions make 61% of Dubai Customs activity in H1, 2020

4th October 2020 – Figures released by Dubai Customs showed that customs transactions done through the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) reached 4.4m constituting 61% of the total number of transactions (7.2m) in H1, 2020. The leading program has played an important role during the pandemic in facilitating external trade. Companies, members of the program, boosted…

Dubai Customs’ transactions grow 38% to AED7 million in H1, 2020

Dubai, 16th September 2020 – Dubai’s economy continued its exceptional performance despite headwinds from a slowdown in the global economic growth due to the coronavirus, COVID-19, pandemic. The number of customs transactions completed by Dubai Customs skyrocketed 38.5 percent in the first six months of 2020 to reach 7.2 million compared to 5.2 million transactions…

‘Alternative to Irish backstop’ consultant in line for £200m contract

16th September 2020 – © AFP/Getty Former Washington lobbyist Shanker Singham has been described as the ‘Brexiteers’ brain’. A consultant who had a leading role in the campaign for an alternative to Theresa May’s Irish border “backstop” is in the running for all or part of a £200m government contract related to the post-Brexit checks down…

Businessman jailed for his part in NZ’s largest cigarette smuggling case

A businessman has been jailed for his role in the country’s largest cigarette smuggling case. The man and his company have interim name suppression and appeared at the Auckland District Court on Thursday after earlier admitting charges of defrauding customs, making erroneous entries in customs documents and selling goods without paying duties. The operation involved…

ABF signs MOU with Singapore

On 20 March 2020, Australian Border Force (ABF) Commissioner Michael Outram countersigned a Memorandum of Understanding on Trade Facilitation with the Singapore Government. Singapore’s Ho Chee Pong, Director-General Singapore Customs and Tan Kiat How, Chief Executive Officer, the Infocomm Media Development Authority have also signed the Memorandum of Understanding. “This MOU will support Australia’s efforts…