Africa-Press – Eswatini. An accreditation programme that seek to reduce the examination and inspection of imports and exports was launched last Thursday.
Eswatini Revenue Service (ERS) and Southern African Customs Union (SACU) engaged the private sector before launching the National and Regional Accreditation Programme, also known as the Preferred Trader scheme (PTP) or Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) scheme. The private sector was represented by Business Eswatini (BE) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Nathi Dlamini and the Federation of Eswatini’s Business Community (FESBC) Hhohho Region Chairperson Johannes Manikela. This means that businesses in Eswatini that are involved in the imports and exports of goods can now apply for AEO accreditation with ERS to enjoy benefits not limited to the acceptance of export and import declarations before bringing the goods into customs premises.
The programme aims to enhance international supply chain security and facilitate the movement of legitimate goods. AEOs are for companies involved in the international movement of goods. That said, the company should be approved by ERS Customs as complying with the World Customs Organisation. It is built and based on a customs-private partnership under the international principle of the SAFE Framework of Standards to secure and facilitate global trade. Speaking during the engagement with the private sector, ERS Commissioner General Brightwell Nkambule said the implementation of the AEO programme by Eswatini was a sign that the country continues to participate in the SACU Trade Facilitation Agenda. Nkambule said the journey has not been easy, as they currently have two accredited operators. “The implementation of other trade facilitation initiatives has posed a threat to the programme.”
Benefits
Benefits that were meant to be introduced with the programme for the accredited economic operators came freely within the general trade facilitation agenda; one good example is deferred VAT,” he said. The Executive Secretary of SACU, Thabo David Khasipe, added that the overall objective of the AEO Programme was to ease the cross-border movement of accredited operators, improve compliance and efficiencies, and reduce the cost of doing business in SACU. He said the second objective was to raise the bar and level of competitiveness of firms that were operating in SACU through expedited clearance of goods at the borders and other benefits that were extended to the Authorised Economic Operators.
“Third objective is to grant leverage to the businesses that are operating in SACU to become trusted partners globally, and especially in the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), through validated and accredited AEO status that guarantees,” he added. Khasipe mentioned that the programme would not only facilitate cross border trade within the region and beyond, but it would also support SACU’s business community to maximise and ensure that they would take full advantage of the opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area.
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