PH joins ASEAN live electronic exchange of customs declaration document

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Image from Bureau of Customs.
  • The Philippines is now exchanging the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) customs declaration document (ACDD) using the live environment of the ASEAN Single Window (ASW)
  • BOC said it is finalizing a draft customs memorandum order that will define the operational guidelines of the ACDD live exchange
  • Incentives through risk-based and trade facilitation support are also being worked out by BOC for participating exporters
  • The BOC ACDD Operations Portal, which connects to the ASW System to TradeNet, will be formally launched in January 2022

The Philippines is now exchanging Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) customs declaration document (ACDD) using the live environment of the ASEAN Single Window (ASW), according to the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

This follows last month’s end-to-end testing of the electronic exchange of ACDD through the ASW with four other ASEAN member countries—Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Laos, and Vietnam.

READ: PH trial exchange of ASEAN customs declaration document set this month

BOC earlier said once all parameters have been approved by ASEAN, the Philippines may start exchanging live ACDD data in the ASW production environment by December 2021.

The ACDD is a multipurpose document used to facilitate the exchange of export declaration information among ASEAN member states. BOC noted that the objective of the electronic ACDD is to support the customs authority in the importing country to carry out their risk management activities.

The ASW, meanwhile, is the regional initiative to speed up cargo clearance and promote regional economic integration by enabling the electronic exchange of border documents among the 10 ASEAN member states. Aside from the ACDD, the ASW also allows the electronic exchange of trade documents such as the electronic Certificate of Origin Form D under the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement, and the electronic phytosanitary and animal health certificates that are planned to be exchanged soon.

In December 2020, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Singapore started exchanging the ACDD through the ASW, followed by Malaysia and Thailand from March 31, 2021. The remaining ASEAN member states were expected to join the live operation within 2021.

Last August, BOC said it completed the bidding of its ACDD System, which when implemented would enable the Philippines to electronically exchange ACDD on the ASW and help the country to digitize trade processes and maximize the potential of intra-ASEAN trade.

READ: Bid process completed for ASEAN customs declaration system

BOC said it is now finalizing a draft customs memorandum order that will define the operational guidelines of the ACDD live exchange, such as record keeping and tracking of all ACDD-related messages, including the duties and responsibilities of the customs personnel responsible for monitoring outbound and inbound messages using the ACDD Operations Portal.

Incentives through risk-based and trade facilitation support are also being worked out by BOC for participating exporters.

The BOC ACDD Operations Portal, which connects to the ASW System to TradeNet, will be formally launched in January 2022.

TradeNet is the country’s national single window, which is a prerequisite to connect to the ASW.

Currently, electronic certificates of origin can be exchanged by Philippine exporters with other ASEAN member states. BOC and other government agencies are also working to onboard trade regulatory government agencies to TradeNet to allow online application for import and export permits.