According to Press Release CP-228, dated last August 23, the Central American Economic Integration Ministers submitted the Resolution 89-2002 which will bring into force the changes to the Central American Customs System "Sistema Arancelario Centroamericano" (SAC) due to the modifications to the Third Amendment of the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System effective this October1st. A decree that enforces these modifications will be published within the next fewS days in La Gaceta Official Newspaper.
In order to provide a better understanding of the modifications previously mentioned this Ministry facilitated a seminar open to the public during April, which had great reception. In addition there is a correlation chart prepared at a Central American level which contains versions SAC1996 and SAC2002. This document is available to the public at the Ministry’s website: http://www.comex.go.cr
The resolution mentioned above also includes the agreements about customs harmonization in the region as mandated in the Action Plan approved by the Central American Presidents on March 24th, 2002. As expressed, a total of 63 customs sub segments have been brought into line regarding products such as: salmon, wheat, anise seeds, cilantro seeds, caraway seeds, fennel seeds, wheat gluten, nitrogen, lens rims saddles, mechanical pencils, copper wire, curing fodder and heat shrink bags.
In addition, this resolution contains modifications to the Customs Import Rights “Derechos Arancelarios a la Importación” (DAI) as requested by the participating countries. Some of the modifications approved are regarding items such as wire to produce cleaning sponges, gelatin and its related products, and aluminum pipe for fishing supplies as requested by the productive sector from Costa Rica.
A decree, about to be published, will put into effect the Resolution 90-2000 in addition to the above mentioned includes; modifications to the Appendix on the Norms from the Central American Regulations Governing Commodities Origin as a result of the changes made to the SAC by the Third Amendment to the Harmonized System.
LIMON CUSTOMS – TIC@ EXPORT APPLICATION
The General Customs Department started the application of the export module under the TIC@ system procedures at Limon Customs as a result of the customs automation process on May 18, 2009. This department released the RES-DGA-127-2009 and CIRCULAR DGT-060-2009 which contains the TICA Operation System at Limon Customs.
VOIDING OF CIRCULAR DGT-137-2009
The Customs Brokers Association of Costa Rica appealed to the Civil Contentious Administrative Tribunal from the Treasury Department, Annex A of the Second Judicial Circuit of San Jose, Goicoechea. As a result, such entity declared Resolution N˚ 741-2009 which annuls Circular DGT-137-2009, establishing that; “3) if the valid entities process claims of the wrong paid amounts, applied in accordance with the annulled circular, and such wrong paid amounts are credited to the customs entity in order to comply with the established procedures by the customs law in effect, then State should proceed with the refund of such amounts”. Consequently the General Customs Department issues Circular number C-DN-0014-09 which notifies of the above mentioned resolution.