SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR NEW COLOMBIAN' CUSTOMS REGULATION

For any international trade operation, transport documents, it is required that the basic information of the import and export should be registered in a system called Syga.

Recently, the Colombian government has conceded a new resolution notifying the change in the information system used by the DIAN (National Direction of Customs and Tax Directory) for the international trade operations and implementation of some new rules and guidelines that must be followed for the cargo to enter the country and go through the nationalization process without any inconvenience.

The new information system is known as the MUISCA and it is applicable onwards for all the customs operations related with international trade.

One of the new guidelines set by the Colombian government is the obligation to put certain information on the international transport documents for all cargoes (airfreight or sea freight) that enter the Colombian territory.

The following information must be included on all the international transport documents:

- Shipper details

- Consignee details

In the consignee, RUT (Unique Tributary register) must be included to identify the number for the customs and tax office. It must be stated if the consignee is located or it is a user of a Customs Warehouse or a Free Trade Zone.

- Port of Origin

- Port of Destination

-Type, Number and Date of transport documents

-Characteristics of the Transport Contract

ie. Only contract Multimodal or Combined, type of negotiation in FCL and LCL terms.

- Description of Goods

If it is dangerous goods kindly inform the person in charge for emergency purposes.

- Ocean Freight value and other costs

(BAF, CAF, PEAK SEASON, BL. etc) noted in US dollars

- Number (Letters and Numeric Digits), Tare and Capacity of the container and Seal Number

- Detailed Description of the Goods

The following descriptions are no longer applicable:-

VARIOUS GOODS, GOODS, GOODS ACCORDING TO CEMMERCIAL INVOICE, MISCELLANEOUS GOODS, GOODS IN GENERAL, GOODS ACCORDING TO REGISTER, DRY CARGO, NON – HAZARDOUS GOODS OR CARGO, PERISHABLE OR NON – PERISHABLE GOODS, CARGO FOR DEPARTMENT STORES, BULK AND BULK GOODS.

- Tariff Position, Harmonized Tariff Position, or Tariff Nomenclature .

- Handling or Destination of the cargo at place or arrival such as:-

• Delivery in place of arrival,

• Entrance to Customs Warehouse or Free Zone after the unloading in the place of arrival, Unloading of the goods directly in the Customs Warehouse or Free Zone

• In Customs Transit --OTM/DTA—

• Urgent Delivery

- Weight

- Volume

- Number and Type of units

Additionally, in the MBL RUT (Tax Identification Number) must be included to the consignee's name.

This legislation took effect on December 1st 2008; all transport documents that were issued with a date of November 1 st should indicate these specifications.

Kindly take note of all the information specified and the new regulations of documents in Colombia to avoid un-necessary circumstances or fines.