ASEAN Customs Transit System To Simplify Movement Of Goods Across Region

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 (Bernama) -- Cross-border traders in ASEAN can now take advantage of a new online customs transit management system, the ASEAN Customs Transit System (ACTS), to accelerate trade in goods by road within Southeast Asia. The ACTS was developed with the support of the European Union (EU). In a joint statement Monday, ASEAN and the EU said the ACTS enables the private sector to make a single customs transit declaration that covers the transport of goods across multiple ASEAN countries without the need to make repeated customs declarations or change vehicles at each border. The ACTS was developed to realise the twin goals set by ASEAN Economic Ministers in 2017 of reducing trade transaction costs by 10 per cent this year and doubling intra-ASEAN trade between 2017 and 2025. It would allow businesses to lodge e-transit declarations directly with ASEAN customs authorities and to track the movement of goods while loading, departure and delivery to the final destination. The system is managed by a permanent ACTS central management team based in the ASEAN secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia, with support from the EU-funded ARISE Plus programme. Regional and national ACTS helpdesks are available at its website https://acts.asean.org. -- BERNAMA