📈 Sri Lanka Customs Revenue Drive Raises Concerns Over Lack of Trade Facilitation

• Overview: Customs House Agents (CHA) express growing concern that Sri Lanka Customs is prioritizing advance revenue collection without putting necessary digital clearance procedures, systems, and facilities in place for timely service. • Core Operational Bottlenecks: • Digitalization vs. Reality: Digital initiatives are currently restricted to online payment collection rather than full process integration. • Manual Workflows: Importers, exporters, and CHAs face ongoing delays, having to physically transport documents to the Long Room for amendments and routine formalities. • Private Sector Impact: Lack of administrative efficiency leads to increased operational costs, delays, and friction for the import/export trade sector. • Key Demands & Industry Expectations: • Seamless integration covering payments, amendments, approvals, and cargo-clearance procedures. • Implementation of a genuine paperless, cashless, and faceless operations model to minimize physical interaction with officials. • Balanced focus on revenue collection and trade facilitation to support national economic efficiency.