Sri Lanka Customs will bring its Digital Signature and Paperless Customs Declaration System into operation from 1 October, requiring importers and businesses to prepare for the transition to paperless declaration processing.
The implementation timeline was highlighted at an awareness program for importers and the business community organised by The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, in line with the Government’s program to expedite the Paperless Document Processing at Customs initiative.
The program discussed the benefits of the paperless Customs declaration project for the trade sector and the practical requirements businesses will need to follow under the new system.
Delivering a special lecture on the Government’s digitalisation policy and the role of the Revenue Administration Reform and Modernisation Bureau, its Head and Senior Additional Secretary to the President Seevali Arukgoda said the system would become operational from 1 October.
He also acknowledged the contribution of the Sri Lanka Customs Information Technology Division towards the implementation of the project.
Officials from LankaPay and Sri Lanka Customs conducted a technical session covering digital signatures, the procedure for obtaining them, and their practical use when submitting Customs declarations.
Customs Directors Ruwan Tissera and Sisira Kumara, Revenue Administration Reform and Modernisation Bureau Directors W.L.C. Thilakasiri and M.A. Premalal, The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Officer and Secretary-General Shiran Fernando, senior officials of Sri Lanka Customs and its Information Technology Division, LankaPay representatives, and representatives from the importing and business communities participated in the program.