Day / May 22, 2013

by Mike Poverello

Gmail to allow money to be sent as an attachment

Google will soon be rolling out a new feature that lets you attach money to Gmail messages

Google will soon be rolling out a new feature that lets you attach money to Gmail messages

While Customs Authorities are still challenged to address the question of cyber-trade and associate crime, Gmail makes it possible for you send all kinds of files as attachments. Now Google Wallet lets you pay for just about anything. Why not combine the two? That could have been the thinking by someone at Google, as the search giant is set to launch a payment system that’s the love child of Gmail and Google Wallet.

Pretty soon, U.S. Gmail users 18 and older (sorry, kiddies) will see a dollar sign icon among their Gmail attachment options. Click on the icon, select a dollar amount, and send it along. The recipient doesn’t have to have a Gmail address to take your money, but they’ll presumably need to have a Google Wallet account (or at least sign up for one to claim their money).

In fact, that might be one of Google’s motives here. Make it ridiculously easy to send money to your pals, and if they aren’t already in the Google ecosystem, this is a new way to reel them in. Let the rush to Google+ sign-up pages commence.

Google does also take a small cut from credit card payments – 2.9 percent per transaction, to be exact (with a minimum of $0.30). If you’re paying from your bank account or directly from your Google Wallet balance, then you’re off the hook. Receiving payments is free. Dare say this will cause some concern for Treasury and enforcement bodies?

The feature will be rolling out to U.S. Gmail users in “the next few months.” In the meantime, you can preview the feature in Google’s video below.  Source: Gmail Blog, Google via Engadget.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=JA8m0JOoNYQ

by Mike Poverello

Ethiopia Becomes World’s Fourth Largest Flower Exporter

Revenues from flower exports have grown from $27.9 million dollars in 2002-03 to $178.3 million dollars in 2010-11. Photo Chellelek Files

Revenues from flower exports have grown from $27.9 million dollars in 2002-03 to $178.3 million dollars in 2010-11. Photo Chellelek Files

Indian-owned firms in Ethiopia are making flowers the country’s third-largest export earner after coffee and khat, a kind of chewable cannabis. In the last five years, the Ethiopian floriculture industry has become the second largest flower exporter in Africa (after Kenya) and fourth largest flower exporter in the world. According to one estimate, the export value earned by the country is expected to rise up to $550 million by 2016.

Ethiopia has a comparative advantage in the production of roses, especially with favourable climate conditions and availability of labour. The Ethiopian Government also offered incentives to investors. Ethiopia has the ideal climate, appropriate conditions and stable, year-round temperature that can ensure better production and quality flowers. The region is acknowledged as one of the best flower growing areas. Source: india.nydailynews.com

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by Mike Poverello

Rwanda Customs Process Made Easier for Tax Compliant Traders

Headquarters of the Rwanda Revenue Authority

Headquarters of the Rwanda Revenue Authority

Thirteen companies, three of them Rwandan, last week signed a Memorandum of understanding with Rwanda Revenue Authority to be accorded preferential treatment when clearing their goods at customs. The Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) is a regional trade facilitation program recommended by the world customs organization to ease trade and customs clearance for tax compliant and prominent importers and exporters.

Delay in clearing goods at customs is one of the major impediments to smooth trading within the East African Community (EAC). It also contributes to making the EAC region one of the most expensive places to do business despite being the second most growing economy in the world. The AEO creates some kind of obstacle-free zone where traders in the import or export business, known to be complaint with customs requirements, are accorded special treatment to ease the process of clearing their goods while in transit.

The pilot project will see how the system works in reality and the beneficiaries have all been informed of their rights and which ports or borders to claim them from. Rwanda customs officials issue special identifiers to the beneficiaries to help them identify the benefiting traders once their goods appear at any of the designated custom points. These identifiers will be recognizable everywhere in the five partner states of the EAC where the beneficiaries will pass and claim their privileges as AEO.

The growth of global trade and increasing security threats to the international movement of goods have forced customs administrations to shift their focus more and more to securing the international trade flow and away from the traditional task of collecting customs duties.

Recognizing these developments, the World Customs Organization (WCO) drafted the WCO Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate global trade (SAFE). In the framework, several standards are included that can assist customs administrations in meeting these new challenges and developing an Authorized Economic Operator programme is a core part of SAFE. Source: AllAfrica.com