The Customs Administration of Peru (SUNAT) achieved a significant milestone on October 30, 2023, with the publication of its Time Release Study (TRS) aligned with the World Customs Organization (WCO) methodology. The implementation of the TRS follows a series of technical assistance sessions provided by the WCO within the framework of the SECO-WCO Global Trade Facilitation Programme (GTFP).
The TRS, which focused on the airport and maritime port of El Callao, evaluated the efficiency of the Customs Administration and other relevant stakeholders of Peru’s foreign trade. The study measured the time required to release goods, from arrival to physical cargo release, and pinpointed bottlenecks in the process. This insightful analysis enables effective human resource and effort allocation and facilitates the implementation of policy and operational measures to enhance overall trade facilitation. The results showed that import release times for imported goods have substantially and consistently decreased, from 146 hours in 2014 to 32 hours in September 2023.
As part of SUNAT's ongoing commitment to modernization, the TRS contributes to improving IT systems and procedural simplification, thereby enhancing the transparency and traceability of Customs operations. Through conducting the TRS and publishing its results, Peruvian Customs successfully fulfilled the provisions of Article 7.6 of the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement (WTO TFA). This accomplishment signifies the implementation of a crucial tool for monitoring and evaluating trade facilitation measures.
The WCO and the SECO-WCO GTFP emphasized the commitment of SUNAT to enhancing the predictability and transparency of trade operations, benefiting stakeholders and positioning Peru as a regional leader in fostering a conducive environment for the entire trade community.
For more information on the GTFP, please contact capacity.building@wcoomd.org