Head of Customs Authority in a meeting with Cairo Chamber of Commerce:

- Procedures to solve the problem of Chinese overstocked imported consignments in Sokhna Port.

- Consignments releasing by depo...

Head of Customs Authority in a meeting with Cairo Chamber of Commerce: - Procedures to solve the problem of Chinese overstocked imported consignments in Sokhna Port. - Consignments releasing by deposit system. A committee to be formed to review and refund overpaid amounts in case of accepting importers’ grievance. - Instructions for considering quality disparities and price change during seasons of discounts. Head of Customs Authority, Dr. Magdy Abdel Aziz, agreed on releasing Chinese overstocked imported consignments in Sokhna Port on deposit and applicable prices system as some importers objected application of indicative prices circular published recently by Customs Authority that includes prices of the most Chinese imported goods based on its prices indicators in Chinese factories. He said that a committee shall be formed to review the situation of such consignments; whereas the overpaid amounts shall be refunded in case of accepting importers’ grievance, as well as considering the situation of the goods not included in this circular to maintain Public Treasury rights without prejudice to the commercial community interests. He mentioned that there are also instructions to apply these facilities on the consignments exist in Suez and Damietta ports. All the above mentioned was in his meeting with a delegation of Cairo Chamber of Commerce, headed by Eng. Ibrahim El Araby, head of Cairo Chamber, to discuss the problems of Chinese overstocked imported consignments in Sokhna Port. He confirmed that Customs Authority considers the commercial community interests by taking all the required procedures to facilitate release of  Egyptian imports as soon as possible so that there shall be positive impact on improving business environment, however the said procedures shall not contradict Customs Authority role in protecting national industries from unfair competition with foreign imported products at overflowed or subsidized prices or with fake invoices. He said that Customs Authority, to achieve these targets, cooperates with all trade partners especially China, basis of issuing indicative prices circular on the most Chinese imported goods, after considering that the invoices of such goods submitted to Customs Authority are much less than the prices included therein, only equivalent to 10% of their real value, representing clear evasion of paying state rights. He indicated that Customs Authority delegation recently visited China to see many industrial areas and obtain the real prices of most imported goods, in particular, from exporting companies to the Egyptian market.    Concerning the doubts raised by the Cairo Chamber of Commerce delegation, on applying the new indicative prices on all goods regardless prices disparity according to quality, Mr. Magdy Abdel Aziz confirmed that the Customs Authority considers prices disparity according to quality, as well as customs tariff structure itself considers various levels of manufacturing, as each customs item includes five tariff levels starting from raw materials, production requirements up to the final product.  He requested the Cairo Chamber of Commerce delegation to cooperate with customs authorities in preparing sectorial studies for each industrial sector to fix indicative prices of goods and commodities achieving balance between State rights and national industry rights from one part and importers’ rights in the other part. Mr. Ibrahim El Araby confirmed that the commercial community is keen on stability of the Egyptian economy through combating illegal practices and establishing fair and honest competition that main while protect the national industry as well as meeting consumer interests to get goods in affordable prices and high quality. He also requested gradual application of any regularity decisions granting the commercial community time to cope with their control standards, to be applied on consignments that have been already shipped and arrived to Egyptian ports , and will be contracted after issuing such decisions. He also said that there are global seasons of large discounts specially, on goods that depend on annual change of designs, should be taken into account when estimating customs fees. Responding to these claims, the head of customs authority assured that the prices changes relate to seasonal discounts as well as quality standards will be taken into account.