An unified Manual for  Financial Control in cooperation with the World Bank to strongly  control public money

Procedures to combat Smuggling' phenomenon …  and detect  101 smuggling attempts in one month

   Minister of Finance , Dr. Ahmed Galal announced formatting a legal committee for  studying  legal procedure required to end the judicial disputes with some taxpayers filed many years ago , whereas  the committee is working to develop the basis to end such issues , especially they were filed since the eighties .

  The above mentioned  was during  the Minister of Finance's tour in Alexandria  , through which he  visited   the Financial Directorate and the main center of Customs Authority at the Headquarter of Alexandria port to ensure the implementation  of work rules and the facilities stipulated in customs and taxes law , the head  of the Egyptian Tax Authority , Mr./ Mamdouh Omar, the head  of Customs  Authority , Mr./Mohamed El-Salahawy ,  the head of the General Budget Sector, Mr. / Atef Malash , the head of the Financial Directorates – Mr./ Karem Mahmoud and the Minister advisor for information Technology in revenues Authorities Mr.Atef El fakey  participated in such  tour .

  Minister of Finance confirmed that he is keen to visit  executive sites affiliated to  the authorities dealing with the  public to learn about proposals and problems facing workers in such authorities and develop mechanisms to improve performance in serving the Egyptian citizen , in addition to the improvement of work environment for employees in such authorities .

  The  Minister asked leaders of the Egyptian Tax Authority to quick end the check of tax files and to facilitate in dealing with taxpayers by applying the specific criteria for inspections, to balance between the state and the taxpayer's rights,  in addition to strongly face the phenomenon of forged  bills  provided by some taxpayers to evade paying due  taxes and customs  tariffs  .

The  Minister disclosed that preparing an  unified Manual of Financial Control is completed  by controller on public spending processes before expenditures  , in collaboration with the World Bank , developing   clear basis of control process to be followed in line with international standards in this field , which will lead to more financial control of public spending  , prevent exceeding budget allocations and make sure that all aspects of spending  are  in accordance with control laws applicable in Egypt .

  With regard to the phenomenon of smuggling , he said that  all Ministries of Finance ,Trade ,Industry and Interior exert best  efforts to combat this phenomenon , which began to reduce with  security improvement  , announcing new procedures to combat smuggling through customs ports , including the speed completion of electronically  connecting all customs ports over Egypt  to ensure easily exchange of information and data and unify the basis of appraisement , in order to unify customs treatment in all Egyptian ports, as well as the coordination in combating processes

    The Minister added that such procedures also include reconsidering  the regulatory and administrative structure of customs Authority  , since  there is work overlapping in some departments , in addition , some of which are not duly activated , beside the speedily contracting  with  a maintenance specialist company for re-operating the stopped  scanning equipment in some ports .

As  for transit trade ,  the Minister said  that  a committee comprised experts from Ministry of Finance , Security and monitor Authorities related to Customs work is formed  to study introducing an electronic system for electronically tracking the movement of transit containers trading via satellites , beside studying   reasons for  increasing smuggling phenomenon generally to propose mechanisms and procedures required to face and eliminate it.

  The Minister declared that he requested from Customs officials and leaders to speedily activate the protocols signed between the Customs Authority  and the Egyptian Tax Authority , the General Organization for Export & Import Control, Port Authority and other public bodies to unify anti- smuggling efforts and to face smugglers.

 The Minister confirmed that such procedures are for strengthening Ministry of Finance's success in controlling  customs outlets, whereas many attempts of smuggling and infractions of Customs laws were seized, raising seized cases from 25 smuggling and infractions cases in last July, the detained goods' value was about 113.3 Million EGP, and the due customs and fees are 254.4 Million EGP, reach 101 cases in last October, the detained goods' value was about 142.6 Million EGP, and the due customs and fees are 287.4 Million EGP. During the first half of last November 105 smuggling cases were seized, the detained goods' value was about 8.6 Million EGP only, and the due customs and fees are 12.5 Million EGP, indicating the retreat of smuggling cases.

The head of Customs Authority, Mohamed El-Salhawy, mentioned that the most important goods in smuggling attempts are cigarettes, alcoholic beverages, readymade garments, fabrics, fireworks, mobile devices, prohibited drugs, and narcotics substances.