Sars expands cross-border co-operation

SA Revenue Service Customs
and the Zimbabwe Revenue
Authority have been discussing
electronic cross-border
co-operation, a Sars spokesman
told FTW.
At this stage, however, its key
focus is on ensuring automatic
data interchange with
Swaziland and Mozambique
where significant progress has
been made. The engagement
with Swaziland is taking place
within the ambit of the regional
customs interconnectivity
approach being pursued by
members of the Southern
African Customs Union (Sacu).
“That will be our main
focus until all elements of
automatic data exchange
are properly embedded,” the
spokesman said. “Only then
will we move on to other
regional partners, albeit
that we have had initial
discussions with Zimra on
future cooperation in this
area.”
Exchange of information
between customs authorities,
including to support mutual
recognition of Authorised
Economic Operator (AEO)
programmes and cross-border
co-operation, is an important
building block for Customs
administrations globally. The
members of Sacu are also
currently looking at a regional
mutual recognition approach
for the Preferred Trader
Programmes being developed
by the respective Customs
administrations.