PANAMA

On December 23, the National Customs Authority (ANA, in Spanish) published a resolution in the Official Gazette establishing temporary procedures for the presentation of new applications, renewals and extensions to the validity of a company’s certification as an Authorized Economic Operator (AEO). These include extending the validity of certifications expiring between January 1 and December 31, 2020. The regulations are already in force.

 The resolution enables procedures to present new applications or renew the certification as an AEO whereby the documents outlined in Resolution No. 37 of 2014 must be submitted, scanned in PDF format and sent to [email protected], with a copy to [email protected]. Once the application for accreditation or reaccreditation has been made, companies must send the procedure manuals in PDF format to the ANA’s OEA Office or allow ANA officials to access the corresponding company’s platform.

Additionally, the validity of the OEA certificates expiring during 2020 has been extended until January 31, 2021. Applications to renew accreditations must be submitted before January 31, 2021. The necessary interviews to verify compliance with the accreditation or re-accreditation process may be conducted by digital means or through on-site visits, as long as the biosafety measures determined by the ANA are duly met.