On October 15, the Cabinet Council, through Decree No. 27, modified the National Import Tariff with a view to improving the surveillance of imports. The modification increases from 10 digits to 12 and is one of the tariff commitments negotiated with the main trading partners, applicable as of January 1, 2020. 

With this new measure, the tariff item, which identifies products entering the country, would have 12 digits which should improve the ability to monitor each incoming product. According to Tayra Barsallo, director of the National Customs Authority (ANA, for its acronym in Spanish), these changes will also provide a more specific description of the products, generating more reliable import statistics.

The change will come into effect January 1, 2020. According to Barsallo, “with this new tool we will be able to collect customs duties more effectively.”