Advance Cargo Information Declaration - Egypt Customs Regulation

Rapid digitization is causing tectonic shifts in the supply chain sector across industries. These advancements are aimed at transforming the way supply chains function and deliver value. In accordance with new digital procurement strategies, the new Egyptian customs law - Advance Cargo Information declaration is becoming mandatory for all Egyptian import shipments. The law is effective from the 1st of October 2021, after which ACID Egypt regulation will be strictly mandatory for all import consignments. In the same aspect, freight forwarders are now needed to show the ACID number along with the importers and exporter’s registration number in their transportation document through electronic mode of transfer.

Now since the Egyptian ministry of Finance has declared the new regulation regarding the customs authority’s new digital platform to go live this July, shipping organizations will be required to send information about their cargo digitally to the platform. The decision includes provisions for importation companies to electronically send cargo documents and information, such as packing lists, commercial receipts and more through the new advanced cargo system.

Key Points of the Regulation:

Importers should review their shipping documents with the ACID number and accept them with an electronic signature. The system is a part of NAFEZA, which is designed to support customs processes and enhance border-wide security. Egypt created the platform with a strong intention to cope up with the international concept of having a unified point of entry for foreign trade and to properly facilitate the cross-border processes and custom laws in Egypt. Importers are required to register in Nafeza, to get the e-token and provide their shipment details.

In the case of missing shipping e-documents, a wrong number or data mismatch, the goods will not be discharged and the shipping organization will be requested to return it to the POL.

What Are the Advantages of Digitized Documents and Custom Regulation?

The Advantages of Digitized Documents and Custom Regulation Are as Follows:

• Single point provisioning of export and import documents via a software platform
• Transforming the paper-based documentation system into a digital format can speed up trade exchange activities and reduce the cost of doing business.
• The platform acts as an essential basis of governmental efforts to speed up the process much before the cargo arrives at the Egyptian ports. Using the system, importers can easily pay the due amount and get the documents assessed by the authorities without having to wait for Cargo's arrival.
• Once the system is adopted across the nation, exporters will no longer need to send any physical documents by couriers, instead they will upload the documents in CargoX or integrated partner Timber Exchange, while importers will use Nafeza.

The Role of Timber Exchange and CargoX:

CargoX, in collaboration with their integrated partner Timber Exchange, intends to help users send electronic documents across the world. It is a blockchain digital courier service that competes with service organizations such as DHL, UPS, and FEDEX.

The Timber Exchange platform is a B2B marketplace that covers all the steps from the inquiry of cargo until it reaches its destination. Thus, enabling employees and counterparties to manage the activities of imports and exports, logistics, and legal restrictions from one centralized place that helps to automatically allocate tasks and update notification.

In a nutshell, once the procedure comes into action exporters will no longer be required to legalize their documents. Also, they no longer need to send cargo documents by uploading their consignments through the Cargo X platform, whereas the importers will be using Nafeza.

Thus, in collaboration with the Timber Exchange platform by Centersource Technologies and Cargo X the Egypt ACID regulation is aimed at providing a universal solution for document ownership transfers in a fast, secure, reliable, and cost-efficient way.