Exciting news for Pohnpei’s trading community! In a significant leap toward modernizing customs management and enhancing trade facilitation, the Department of Finance and Administration, through the Customs and Tax Division (CTA), is launching its new customs management system called ASYCUDAWorld.
The modern system will be fully operational from Wednesday, March 27, 2024.
Vice President Aren B. Palik underscored the importance of ASYCUDAWorld, stating, that “it represents a significant milestone for our trading community, offering unprecedented benefits such as reduced clearance times, improved accuracy, and enhanced transparency. This Initiative is a great example of the coming FSM digital transformation and a clear indication of our efforts to support the business community, ensuring that Pohnpei, and soon after Yap, Chuuk and Kosrae, remain competitive in the global market.”
The digital platform is a cornerstone of the European Union-funded Improving Pacific Island Customs and Trade (IMPACT) project implemented by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and aims to enhance regional and international trade in the Pacific by standardizing and simplifying customs operations.
ASYCUDAWorld will enable the CTA to apply streamlined customs legislation at all levels, facilitate collection of customs duties, increase government revenue, and eliminate any fraud and corruption.
What is ASYCUDAWorld?
ASYCUDAWorld is an efficient digital platform that supports the enhancement of customs operational capacity in line with international standards and best practices. The system brings revolution to the country’s customs operations by automating processes including manifest management, customs declarations, accounting transactions, and suspense procedures.
The implementation of the ASYCUDAWorld system aligns to the global trend as the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) becomes the 14th Pacific Island Country among the 103 countries and territories across the globe to implement the system, that are benefiting from its capabilities. The system offers improved customs revenue, reliable trade statistics, and reduced times and costs associated with customs clearance processes.
Benefits for Pohnpei’s Businesses:
- Faster Trade: Say goodbye to lengthy procedures! ASYCUDAWorld will significantly reduce clearance times, allowing businesses to import and export goods quickly.
- Improved Accuracy: The automated system minimizes errors, ensuring smoother transactions and less paperwork.
- Enhanced Transparency: Businesses will have access to reliable trade data, providing valuable insights for informed decision-making.
- Modernization: ASYCUDAWorld marks a significant step towards modernizing Pohnpei’s customs procedures, aligning them with international standards.
Getting Started with ASYCUDAWorld:
The platform is accessible online at https://fsm.asycuda.org/ , where businesses intending to import regularly will be required to complete a registration form available on the system’s web portal. To ensure a smooth transition, the old PC Trade system will remain operational for payment processing until April 26th, 2024, after which all unpaid declarations must be resubmitted in ASYCUDAWorld.
Important Dates:
- March 27th, 2024: ASYCUDAWorld goes live in Pohnpei State.
- April 26th, 2024: This is the deadline for declarations submitted using the old PC Trade system.
Ready to experience the trade revolution?
To facilitate the transition, comprehensive support, including assistance, guidance, forms, and operating procedures, is available on the ASYCUDA website portal. Customs staff will also be available at the Pohnpei CTA Office to assist importers with completing their declarations. For further information, the ASYCUDA administration team can contact 320 2826 / 320 5508 or via email at cta@dofa.gov.fm.
This initiative signifies a milestone for Pohnpei and represents a crucial step forward for the Federated States of Micronesia in the broader spectrum of regional harmonization and modernization of customs practices. The IMPACT project and the introduction of ASYCUDAWorld are set to guide in a new era of efficient, reliable, and streamlined customs management, promising substantial benefits for the trading community and the economies of the Pacific Island countries.
ASYCUDA will be launched in the Yap, Chuuk, and Kosrae States over the following two months. The ASYCUDA system will be further enhanced later in the year with an online payments portal becoming available for uses to be able to make payments online.
Together, let’s make Pohnpei a leader in efficient and modern trade!
#PohnpeiTrade #ASYCUDAWorld #TradeMadeEasy
