Just 3 months since the first release, SARS and Customs stakeholders together with their service providers will commence testing the second phase of the Customs Modernisation Programme. The scope of this release offers some significant opportunity for improved efficiencies benefitting both customs and trade.

There are 3 key pillars for this implementation:

1. A new case management and inspection solution will support an automated workflow between customs assessment officers and inspectors, eliminating the current manual stop and inspection process. A modern user interface has been developed and integrated with Customs’ legacy declaration processing systems. For Release 2, this interface will allow the customs officer to initiate a case, where goods are automatically risk profiled for an intervention. A ‘case’ is an electronic stop notice where the officer is able to capture inspection outcomes, as well as view supporting documents electronically submitted by traders in mitigation of a stop or detention. In addition, the system will interface with an electronic inspection booking system which aims at expediting the customs inspection process. The outcome of each stage of an inspection triggers a response to the trader advising of the status of the consignment or inspection outcome. This is a significant step forward and SARS intends that the efficiency benefits derived will directly translate into cost savings for trade.
2. Customs E@sySCAN and E@syPACKER software solutions. Soon traders will no longer have to hand-deliver clearance supporting documents to customs manually. SARS and service providers have collaborated for over a year developing a functionality that will radically improve efficiencies and response times in regard to ‘stopped/detained’ cargoes. It will enable a customs broker, importer or exporter to upload any required trade document which customs may require in the finalisation of a customs inspection. SARS’ ‘E@sy’ software has been made free of charge to service providers for integration into their trade applications. This forms part of SARS’ overall contribution to keeping cost of compliance to a minimum. For traders not using EDI, SARS will also be offering walk-in scanning facilities at its bulk capturing centres across the country. 
3. A new cargo management system will replace the existing Manifest Acquittal System (MAS). Cargo operators are already working with SARS to improve the level of data cleanliness. Once the level of data integrity meets an accepted level it is SARS intention to perform the matching of import and export clearance declarations against consignment level transport document information in real time. Mismatches occurring will trigger a customs case which may either take the form of a documentary check, and if necessary a physical inspection. The automatic data matching and acquittal will obviate the need for cargo reporters to print and deliver paper manifests to customs. It will also remove the obligation on reporters to submit paper manifest acquittal documents. Similarly, significant cost savings are envisaged for trade.

It is worth mentioning that some of these innovations are a world first in customs processing, and paves the way for future enhancements in support of the new Customs Duty and Control Bills.