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Stakeholders’ feedback is being sought on a draft Customs memorandum order on guidelines and procedures in electronically exchanging Association of Southeast Asian Nations customs declaration documents (ACDDs)
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Position papers can be sent to the BOC until August 12, the day an online public consultation on the proposed policy will be held
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The proposed policy will cover electronic ACDD exchanges using BOC’s ACDD operations portal in line with the protocol on the legal framework to implement the ASEAN Single Window
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is seeking feedback on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations customs declaration document (ACDD) electronic exchange draft rules.
Stakeholders have until August 12 to submit their position papers on the draft customs memorandum order (CMO). An online public consultation will also be conducted on August 12.
The proposed policy will cover electronic exchanges of the ACDD through BOC’s ACDD Operations Portal in line with implementation of the ASEAN Single Window (ASW).
The CMO will provide BOC authorized personnel and stakeholders the procedures in using the ACDD portal.
The ACDD is a multipurpose document used to facilitate exchanges of export declaration information among ASEAN member states. It includes 15 mandatory information parameters extracted from the export declaration.
The ACDD portal will facilitate exchanges of incoming and outgoing ACDD messages through TradeNet and/or the Philippine ASW gateway and ASW gateways of other ASEAN member states.
The Philippines, through BOC, implemented the live electronic exchange of the ACDD on the following dates: Cambodia, Myanmar, and Thailand on January 21, 2022; Malaysia on January 25, 2022; Singapore on January 31, 2022; and Brunei and Indonesia on May 13, 2022.
Lao PDR and Viet Nam, meanwhile, are expected to join the ACDD live operation this year.
BOC had said earlier that full implementation of the ACDD exchange will start upon issuance of the relevant CMO.
Exporters will have to register through the ACDD Portal (http://acdd.customs.gov.ph). The online registration form will be linked to BOC’s profile data server and the exporter’s account will be verified through the Client Profile Registration System (CPRS). Only exporters with active CPRS can register and use the ACDD portal.
Until such time that a TradeNet ACDD module is implemented, information exchanges in the Philippine ASW Gateway Business-to-Business Integration will be made using the ACDD portal.
TradeNet is the country’s national single window, which is a prerequisite in connecting to the ASW.
The ASW is the regional initiative to speed up cargo clearance and promote regional economic integration by enabling electronic exchange of border documents among the 10 ASEAN member states.
In December 2020, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Singapore started exchanging ACDDs through the ASW. Malaysia and Thailand followed on March 31, 2021, while the remaining ASEAN member states were expected to join the live operation during 2021.
In August 2021, BOC said it had completed the bidding for its ACDD system. Once the system is in place, it would enable the Philippines to exchange ACDD electronically on the ASW and help the country to digitize trade processes and maximize the potential of intra-ASEAN trade.
Aside from the ACDD, the ASW allows electronic exchanges of trade documents such as the electronic Certificate of Origin Form D under the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement, and the electronic phyto-sanitary and animal health certificates that are planned to be exchanged soon.
Currently, electronic certificates of origin can be exchanged by Philippine exporters with other ASEAN member states. BOC and other government agencies are working to onboard all trade regulatory government agencies (TRGA) to TradeNet this year to allow online application for import and export permits.
Earlier, BOC said 21 TRGAs had already been onboarded to TradeNet, while the remaining more than 50 will follow this year. – Roumina Pablo
