HARARE, 5 JANUARY 2012: The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) is in the process of rolling out the advance passenger and cargo manifest system in line with the Minister of Finance’s announcement that it will be effective from 1st January 2012.
This system requires transporters, cross border bus operators and airlines to submit to ZIMRA at ports of entry and in advance of arrival into Zimbabwe, a list of the cargo and passengers that they are carrying. This gives ZIMRA enough time to risk profile goods and passengers hence enhance speedy clearance of low risk passengers.
By rolling out this system, ZIMRA is moving in tandem with international best practice in trade facilitation and risk management as it allows identification of low and high risk cargo and passengers to facilitate expeditious clearance processes. ZIMRA will be able to target risky cargo and hence avoid concentrating on low risk ones. This means that searches that will be done in terms of the provisions of the Customs and Excise Act [Chapter 23:02] will also be in line with the Authority’s risk management system. It is expected, therefore, to improve ZIMRA’s operations by ensuring efficient use of scarce resources.
The rolling out of the system is part of ZIMRA’s ongoing efforts to improve convenience to its valued clients. Facilitation of trade and travel will be enhanced by expediting the clearing process. In the past, this information was submitted on arrival at the port of entry and at the time of clearance of goods while omnibus operators have not been submitting passenger manifests.
The new rules apply to private vehicles pulling trailers as long as the combined carrying capacity is more than five tonnes. Omnibuses with a carrying capacity of eight passengers and above are also affected. However, the advance passenger and cargo manifest system does not take away the obligation by passengers to properly declare their goods. The main focus of the system is to risk profile and allow ZIMRA to speedily validate declarations made because of the advance information. Therefore, passengers on a bus will continue to make individual declarations by completing the declaration form (Form 47) where they will itemise the goods they will be carrying and the values of such goods.
For more information on how the information will be submitted, please click <here>