New Customs Act set to come into effect from 6 June 

The new Customs Act, making electronic scanning mandatory for all imported or exportable goods, will come into operation on 6 June.

On 30 May, the Ministry of Finance issued a Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO) to this end. The parliament passed the Act in October 2023.

Currently, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) is drafting the rules necessary for the act's implementation, its officials said.

"No imported or exportable goods will be allowed to be cleared from the port without electronic scanning other than the ones exempted from scanning by the NBR," a senior customs official told The Business Standard, seeking anonymity.

However, currently, the customs authorities do not have the full capacity for 100% scanning at several ports.

When asked about this issue, the official replied, "Our capacity has significantly improved recently. NBR will issue a gazette notification to clarify this matter."

Before this, customs activities were regulated by the Customs Act of 1969.

According to sources from the NBR, the new act has introduced several sections aimed at facilitating ease of doing business.

Additionally, measures have been introduced to prevent import duty dodging and to ensure goods are cleared within the designated timeframe.

For instance, if any customs duty or charges are not paid by the due date, interest at a rate of 10% will be applicable, the NBR official stated.

The main objective of the new customs act is to facilitate trade, according to the official.

"For this purpose, the act is aligned with the conventions of the World Customs Organization and the Trade Facilitation Agreement of the World Trade Organization," he told TBS.

Various essential aspects have been included in the new customs act, such as advance ruling, stakeholder consultation, National Enquiry Point (NEP), Advance Passenger Information (API), and Passenger Name Record (PNR).