Trade and Commercial Law Assessment - Honduras - Economic ...

TRADE AND COMMERCIAL LAW ASSESSMENT DECEMBER 2004
HONDURAS
No. Type Recommendation Priority Duration
8. Regional To facilitate the movement of products requiring SPS or food safety regulation and to
Harmonization harmonize procedures within the region, the following actions should be initiated:
Make OIRSA SEPA services standard throughout Central America. OIRSA
personnel, representing a regional body, could perform inspections for all High 18 to 24
regional goods in accordance with each country’s requirements even if not
standardized.
months
Establish a regional coordination and information center where all exporters
and public SPS agencies can obtain information as to US import requirements
High 12 to 18
and what the public agencies require in the way of technical assistance to meet
these standards. This would be supplemented with seminars held throughout
Central America by representatives of relevant US and international agencies and
associations.
months
Reengineer SPS and food safety procedures to reduce costs and time to comply
while maintaining sufficient controls to safeguard public health, in particular
for Medium
12 to 18
international goods. This re-engineering process should include all agencies
involved public and private parties.
months
9. Customs/Other Establish a special anti-smuggling and fraud unit, using a combination of officers from High 6-12
Agencies/ Customs and the Special Investigations Unit of the National Police to improve
months
National issues security. This unit would develop a threat assessment and corresponding action plan to
combat smuggling and set specific priorities and goals.
10. Customs/Other
Streamline Customs Processing and Costs at free trade zones and Bonded
Mediu m 12 – 18
Agencies/ Warehouses. Presently, customs officers in these zones are not fully utilized. By
months
National issues directly linking the warehouses and zones to the Customs operational system, which is
anticipated by the end of the year, on-site Customs supervision should be eliminated
and Customs adopt
a post audit approach to oversight.. Once the operator’s inventory
control systems were certified as able to competently perform this function, Customs
would be withdrawn from the site.
11. Customs/Other Request participation in the Container Security Initiative at Puerto Cortez once Low 12 to 18
Agencies/
scanning equipment is operational. Presence of a US Customs officer who would
months
National issues review outbound manifests to the US prior to export and cooperate with local Customs
officials to examine any suspicious shipments prior to loading would expedite release
of the shipment on arrival in the US and serve as a major selling point in the port’s
marketing strategy. Regional support for this initiative should be secured at a
minimum from both Nicaragua and El Salvador, significant users of the port.
Attachment 1, pg. 10