JSMO readjusts 'Compliant Trader Program' to spur business-doing

الأنباط - The Jordan Standards and Meteorology Organization (JSMO) has amended the criteria governing its Compliant Trader Program (CTP) in a bid to propel investments, improve and ease the business-doing ecosystem and upgrade the delivery of public services to the private sector.

In a statement released Monday, JSMO said the overhaul to the program is also intended to facilitate trade, promote a true public-private sectors partnership and keep pace with the latest practices and developments at the global level.

Under the amendments which came into effect last Friday, the new membership fees and the renewal of existing subscriptions were slashed by 50 per cent, in addition to introducing a new category in the program with easier membership requirements.

According to JSMO, this is designed to onboard a larger segment of importers into the program, so now it includes four categories instead of three, in addition to granting importers more facilities.

Basically, the CPT aims to facilitate trade movement, streamline cargo clearance procedures, reduce the time required to complete customs processes and simplify service delivery. It also seeks to broaden the voluntary compliance with laws and legislation.

The revised guidelines of the program now allow companies, which meet the criteria of the first category, to have about 95 per cent of customs inspection and clearance procedures completed directly without having to go through physical examination, inspection, sampling, or laboratory testing of cargo contents.

The second, third and fourth categories will be granted the opportunity to have 90, 85 and 70 per cent, respectively, of their customs-related procedures completed directly without having to go through the said processes.

The organization said the new amendments are part of its review of annual plans and performance indicators, noting that a series of workshop had been held to collect feedback on the program.

It stressed that it seeks to ensure an optimal use of resources and robust control system, focusing on high-risk shipments, smuggling and commercial fraud while at the same time safeguarding public health and safety.