Qatar Chamber, in cooperation with the General Authority of Customs (GAC), recently hosted the National Committee for the Systems of Customs Clearance and Cross-Border Trade Facilitation. The meeting was held at the Westin Doha Hotel & Spa, arranged by the sectoral committees of Qatar Chamber.
The meeting reviewed the challenges facing businessmen in relation to customs procedures and the many concerns related to fees, the Al Nadeeb system and the Authorized Economic Operator Program. During the meeting, businessmen were invited to join the import to re-export initiative.
The meeting was co-chaired by Qatar Chamber second vice chairman HE Rashid bin Hamad al-Athba and Acting Assistant of the Chairman of the Authority for Customs Affairs and Chair of the National Committee, Mohamed bin Ahmed Al-Mohannadi. Committee members, a number of QC board members, businessmen, as well as GAC directors joined the meeting.
Al-Athba, when addressing the meeting, said that streamlining customs procedures play a key role in organising trade overseas and facilitating the movement of goods among countries. He noted that their meet was aimed to examine the means of facilitating commodities flow from and to the state, especially as the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ approaches.
He praised the positive cooperation between Qatar Chamber and GAC through working teams and joint initiatives to push for the interests of the private sector and the business sector, affirming their preparedness to exert all possible efforts to solve all related issues and affairs and address all challenges to find appropriate solutions.
Al Mohannadi, in turn, thanked the chamber for the invitation and for its keenness to help businessmen, to introduce their views and opinions regarding the challenges they face with customs procedures.
He said that the formation of the National Committee for the Systems of Customs Clearance and Cross-Border Trade Facilitation, via Decision No 19 of 2020 to amend Resolution No 36 of 2014, or the establishment of the committee responsible for following up and facilitating government procedures related to trade exchange operations between Qatar and all countries of the world, will simplify customs procedures and non-customs restrictions and requirements at ports.
He reviewed the committee membership, competence, tasks, and achievements, affirming once more their interest to address challenges facing the private sector and have them involved in making decisions. The committee made a number of recommendations to help address their many challenges.
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