Paraguay will improve tax revenue by making customs management under the National Customs Administration more efficient.
A US$9 million Inter-American Development Bank financing will help consolidate and deepen the modernization of the system by establishing a more efficient organization, training staff and establishing more reliable procedures to strengthen customs collection capacity.
“The program will increase the operational productivity by making full use of the SOFIA customs data system, electronic means and cutting-edge information technologies for internal and external public use,” said IDB team leader Gerardo Reyes-Tagle. “Enhancing management efficiency and strengthening control measures will help better fight possible smuggling and fraud.”
"The program will also achieve certification of all customs administrations through the implementation of a quality management system in accordance with ISO 9001:2000 regulations,” added Reyes-Tagle.
“Upon project completion, the National Customs Administration is expected to have better managing-for-results in place, with a fully adjusted and implemented regulatory framework, simplified standardized procedures and fully digitized documents,” said Reyes-Tagle. “The program will focus on greater access and dissemination of information relating to customs administration and customer satisfaction.”
Local counterpart funds will total US$3 million. The IDB financing consists of a US$7.2 million loan with a 30-year term and a 5.5-year grace period, at a variable interest rate; and a US$1.8 million concessional loan from the Bank’s Fund for Special Operations, at a 40-year term and grace period, with a 0.25% interest rate.