DGA signs agreement with 10 institutions to further accelerate container clearance

Through the 24-Hour Dispatch Program, over 100,000 containers have been dispatched, representing a savings of RD$2,000 to RD$5,000 million. Santo Domingo.- The General Director of Customs (DGA), Yayo Sanz Lovatón, signed an inter-institutional agreement with ten state institutions to consolidate the integrated operation of the Single Window for Foreign Trade (VUCE), which seeks to transform the foreign trade logistics chain through the standardization, automation and integration of processes, guaranteeing greater efficiency, security and regulatory compliance. The electronic interconnection of systems and the comprehensive processing of permits; the optimization of response times with defined deadlines for the issuance of authorizations and reduction in the duration of dispatches; the implementation of a single risk engine for a more efficient selection of goods to be inspected; the coordination of joint inspections that avoid duplication, as well as, also, the automation of processes that allow the guarantee of transparency and public access to information on requirements, tariffs and requests. The institutions linked in this mutual cooperation agreement are: Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Interior and Police, Ministry of Agriculture, the Drug Control Directorate, Dominican Port Authority, Dominican Institute for Quality, Dominican Institute of Telecommunications, General Directorate of Medicines, Food and Sanitary Products (DIGEMAPS) and the Export and Investment Center of the Dominican Republic (Prodominicana).

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The representatives of the various entities agreed to highlight the importance of this agreement as a milestone in the modernization of Dominican foreign trade. Yayo Sanz Lovatón highlighted the progress made in streamlining the dispatch processes, noting that five years ago, the average time to release a container ranged from nine to ten days, while today it has been reduced to just 48 hours, allowing the dispatch of more than 100,000 containers within that timeframe. “This achievement represents a significant saving for the Dominican economy and is the result of the work carried out through the VUCE. This transformation responds to the vision and priority of the President of the Republic, Luis Abinader, within the Zero Bureaucracy program,” assured the head of the DGA. From his side, the technical advisor of the DGA, Gabino José Polanco, highlighted that it is a special agreement aimed at perfecting the progress made so far, consolidating the VUCE as an integral service platform. Currently, this window works in conjunction with 44 institutions and makes available to the commercial community, 301 services, becoming a key instrument for trade facilitation in the country. “The VUCE is consolidated as an essential tool to facilitate exports and imports, strengthen security in operations, and promote foreign investment,” expressed José Polanco.