Dubai Chamber delegation visits Dubai Customs
Visit intended to learn about best practices and systems adopted
Dubai: A delegation from Dubai Chamber recently visited Dubai Customs to learn about best practices and ongoing systems and procedures.
The visit comes within the framework of exchanging knowledge between the two sides, and the implementation of an MoU (memorandum of understanding) inked last May between the parties with the intention of enhancing exchange of information, interlinking electronic networking between the two departments, and investing in a strategic partnership.
The visit of the delegation, headed by Omar Abdul Aziz Khan, director of customer service centre at Dubai Chamber, covered different departments, namely, IT (information technology), customs tariff and origin, customs intelligence, and customs declaration management. The delegation also learnt about business processes performed by Dubai Customs across these four departments with the aim of facilitating legitimate trade, protecting the community from prohibited and restricted goods, and improving satisfaction of customers — companies and individuals alike.
At the beginning of the visit, Bader Al Kharoosi, manager of support and integration, IT department, gave a detailed explanation of the efforts being made by the department in the areas of services and electronic systems, mainly, the customs eclearance system (Mirsal2), highlighting how the automated system operates, its benefits in respect of facilitating easy customs clearance, information entry, receiving trade statistics, minimising revenue loss, time and effort savings, quicker data risk assessment, ascertaining that these have together contributed to enhancing security and facilitated smooth movement of trade and business in the emirate in particular and the UAE in general.
Al Kharoosi also briefed the delegation on the mechanism of submitting customs delectations through different channels, including the process of risk engine and compliance related departments, at Dubai Customs.
Detailed presentation
At the customs tariff and origin department, the delegation listened to a detailed presentation about the customs tariff implementation — Version-2012 given by Hala Al Yousifi, manager of customs tariff and conventions section at Dubai Customs. Hala explained that “following the implementation of the UAE’s commitments to WCO and GCC, the Customs Tariff Appendixes have been amended and are ready to be executed immediately after having the Ministerial decision issued by the Council of Ministers for implementation of Customs Tariff policy for 2012.”
At the customs intelligence department, the visiting delegation was received by Abdullah Al Shair, director of customs intelligence. The delegation was briefed by Al Shair on the business process and the implemented systems, explaining the intelligence life cycle, from the stage of receiving, collecting, collating and analysing information till the stage of dissemination. He also explained the mechanism of the ‘risk engine’ operation — the system which is used by the department to monitor and detect violating shipments.
Hagir Abdullah Al Falasi, manager of customs declaration clearance section, explained to the delegation the business module of the department and gave an introduction about Mirsal 2 and its benefits in respect of facilitating and accelerating business process and improvement of customer satisfaction, highlighting that the system has various remarkable benefits, such as electronic interaction with the customers, verification of the documents via the system and electronic networking among the entire customs departments, These together have contributed to reducing timely customs transactions clearance.
At the end, the delegation thanked Dubai Customs, appreciating its efforts in promoting customs operations in the emirate and adopting best international practices in different areas, to enhance the positive image of Dubai and the UAE, while attracting the business sector to choose the country for their investments, making use of available opportunities provided by various government departments and agencies.
