Single electronic window for importers and exporters

18 February 2013

Single electronic window for importers and exporters

A single electronic window for goods to pass safely through New Zealand’s border will be introduced in stages from April by Customs and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).

The Joint Border Management System will ultimately provide a single electronic point of contact – the Trade Single Window – through which the import and export industry can deal directly with government agencies for customs and biosecurity requirements, and Customs and MPI can more effectively manage risks for goods crossing the border.

Customs Deputy Comptroller Robert Lake says the key functions of Trade Single Window will be progressively available to industry from April 2013.

“Companies will be able to submit a single application to both Customs and MPI to lodge import declarations. It’s faster and more efficient. And they can do so directly, not through a third party like they do now.”

“We are taking a phased approach to enable us to manage the risks of turning on a major new IT system. We will thoroughly test each new stage with industry until it is performing as expected before going on to the next stage.”

Mr Lake says: “Industry will be able to migrate over to the new system over time. Our current systems will remain in place until the new system is fully proven”.

Costs of the Joint Border Management system are shared with industry. Cost recovery charges for JBMS will start from 1 July.

Customs and MPI are also working on a plan to join up MPI’s animal products and plant export certification systems to Trade Single Window.

The Joint Border Management System is an extensive programme of work that has been broken into two tranches. The focus is the successful delivery of Tranche 1. Customs and MPI are deferring the Tranche 2 business case until the Tranche 1 system is delivered and consolidated.

JBMS is expected to deliver significant benefits to the import and export industry over the next 10-15 years.

Detailed information including questions and answers is available here: www.customs.govt.nz/features/bordersector/jbms/Pages/default.aspx

ENDS

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