Imagine a 50% improvement in customs clearance speed coupled with 30% lower operational costs — what possibilities could this unlock for trade expansion? This scenario is not hypothetical for Peru's National Superintendence of Customs and Tax Administration (SUNAT), which is making tangible progress toward these goals through strategic planning initiatives.
Strategic Planning: Foundation for Trade Facilitation
Between May 24 and June 4, 2021, Peru Customs participated in a remote strategic planning workshop organized under the Global Trade Facilitation Programme (GTFP), a joint initiative by the World Customs Organization (WCO) and Switzerland's State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). Conducted within the Mercator Programme framework, the workshop focused on optimizing strategic objectives and developing key performance indicators (KPIs) to strengthen Peru's customs administration.
Strategic planning serves as a critical tool for customs administrations navigating complex global trade environments, with direct implications for national economic competitiveness. A well-defined strategy enables customs authorities to:
- Establish clear operational priorities and development roadmaps
- Optimize allocation of limited resources
- Enhance processing efficiency and reduce trade costs
- Strengthen risk management capabilities
- Improve international competitiveness through streamlined procedures
GTFP: Driving Global Customs Modernization
The GTFP initiative supports implementation of international trade facilitation standards, including the WCO's Revised Kyoto Convention and WTO's Trade Facilitation Agreement. The program's core objectives encompass:
- Simplifying and harmonizing customs procedures
- Promoting digital transformation and automation
- Enhancing international customs cooperation
- Building institutional capacity through professional training
Workshop Outcomes and Next Steps
The intensive remote workshop brought together Peru Customs officials and WCO experts to achieve several key deliverables:
- Alignment of strategic objectives with national development priorities
- Development of customized KPIs for performance measurement
- Creation of a strategic roadmap visualizing goal interconnections
- Design of an integrated dashboard for real-time KPI monitoring
WCO experts provided a comprehensive report including strategic recommendations, which Peru Customs plans to implement through continued collaboration with GTFP in late 2021. Expected improvements include:
- Significant reduction in clearance times and trade costs
- Enhanced service quality and trader satisfaction
- Improved risk assessment capabilities
- Strengthened international cooperation frameworks
The strategic planning initiative marks a significant step in Peru Customs' modernization efforts, positioning the administration to support national economic growth through more efficient and secure trade facilitation.