The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), in partnership with the Bureau of Customs (BOC), will be rolling out the ATA Carnet system or "passport for goods" starting July 15 to streamline cross-border trading of goods.
“This initiative demonstrates our commitment to fostering a conducive environment for trade facilitation, ease of doing business and economic growth,” said PCCI President Enunina V. Mangio.
The announcement was made after PCCI's recent meeting with BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio.
Mangio said that the strategic move aims to streamline and facilitate temporary exports and imports of goods, making cross-border trade more efficient and cost-effective for businesses.
According to the PCCI, the ATA Carnet is an international customs document that allows businesses to temporarily export and import products to participating countries without paying duties and taxes, "provided that the goods are re-exported within a specified timeframe." The period of admission for goods is up to one year.
There are currently 81 participating countries that implement the ATA Carnet system. These include China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
Some countries have restrictions on the use of the system for exhibition and/or professional equipment only such as India, Indonesia, and Pakistan.
PCCI highlighted that this can mainly benefit small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in developing their exports.
Aligned with this, PCCI said it is now accepting applications for accreditation from businesses that want to avail of the passport.
To raise further awareness on the ATA Carnet, the Chamber will also hold workshops for Exporters, Industry Associations, Chambers of Commerce, Sports Associations, Film and Entertainment organizers, and Business Professionals.