In a decisive step towards the modernization of foreign trade, the President of the National Customs Office, Karina Serrudo, presented on Wednesday (04.09.2024/5211/28) the Single Window for Foreign Trade (VUCE), an innovative digital platform that seeks to transform the country's import and export operations. This initiative was established by Supreme Decree 2024 of August XNUMX, XNUMX and has the support of the World Customs Organization (WCO).
The VUCE has been designed with the purpose of simplifying and streamlining procedures related to foreign trade, allowing operators to manage certifications and authorizations completely virtually, 24 hours a day and from anywhere in the world. According to Serrudo, "the VUCE is a modern and scalable system, capable of growing as the procedures of the 25 institutions involved in foreign trade are incorporated." In addition, he highlighted that the platform is interoperable with the Single Customs Modernization System (SUMA) and other government systems, which guarantees greater efficiency in the flow of information.
A radical change
Prior to the implementation of this tool, the procedures to obtain the necessary documents for import and export operations could take between 10 days and up to three months. With the VUCE, these deadlines will be drastically reduced, which will represent a relief for operators and an improvement in the country's competitiveness in the international market.
Among the most notable benefits of the platform is the ability to request authorizations and certifications from any location with internet access. In addition, responsible government entities will be able to verify and approve or reject requests more quickly and efficiently. The corresponding payments can be made directly through the platform, using electronic methods or QR codes, which improves security and facilitates the process.
Technological advances
For the development of this innovative tool, the National Customs Office has acquired state-of-the-art hardware that guarantees the long-term management and operation capacity of the platform. The interoperability of the VUCE with the SUMA system will allow the automatic validation of the generated documents, significantly reducing the time currently spent on manual verification of the same.
With the approval of Supreme Decree 5211Bolivia joins the trend of countries that have implemented single windows for foreign trade, in order to modernize their processes and facilitate the participation of their operators in international trade.
A gradual integration
The integration of the 25 institutions involved will be gradual, and the VUCE regulations are expected to be approved in the next 30 days. The entities will have a period of two years to integrate, starting with the Bolivian Institute of Metrology (IBMETRO). Among the entities that will be part of this integration process are the Central Bank of Bolivia, the National Export Verification Service (SENAVEX), the State Agency for Medicines and Health Technology (AGMED) and the National Service for Registration and Control of the Commercialization of Minerals and Metals (SENARECOM). These institutions will work hand in hand with the National Customs to guarantee the interoperability of their computer systems and the enabling of digital signatures and digital citizenship.
The VUCE will not only facilitate foreign trade operations, but will also ensure that documents issued through this platform are legally valid and accepted by the National Customs and other entities. Institutions that join the system will maintain their operational independence, ensuring the confidentiality of information.
With this advance, Bolivia takes a firm step towards the modernization of its foreign trade, optimizing management times and improving the country's competitiveness.
Aduana News is the first Argentine customs newspaper to launch its digital version. With 20 years of experience, its publications and initiatives aim to provide the most relevant knowledge on customs issues in order to contribute to safe trade in the region.
