Myanmar customs officials expect to launch the internationalized Myanmar Automated Customs Clearance System (MACCS) at the Myawaddy Trading Zone located on Myanmar-Thai border in March 2018, according to Win Thant, director at the Customs Department.
Win Thant told the Seminar on MACCS Review & Resolution of the Private Users held at the office of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry that works were underway at the Myawaddy Trading Zone to set up the MACCS, a trade management system which provides the facilitation in export/import clearance processes.
The system, inspired by the Japanese NACCS/CIS system which is now serving for more than 98 per cent of export/import declarations in Japan, was introduced in November 2016 and is now available only in Yangon region. The MACCS is designed in line with international standards and practices to contribute to the economic development of the country by ensuring time-saving rapid trade.
Authorities are planning to extend the system to border regions by the end of 2018. When the mechanism reaches nationwide, it will be able to handle about 98 percent of the cargo clearance processes in the country. The MACCS/ CIS is currently used at harbours and airport warehouses in Yangon Region including Thilawa Special Economic Zone.
Myanmar became another ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) country after Vietnam to follow in the footsteps of the NACCS/CIS mechanism. Vietnam started its VNACCS/ VCIS (Vietnam Automated Cargo Clearance System/Viet Nam Customs Intelligent database System) based on the NACCS/CIS in April 2014. The Vietnamese system was financed by JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency), an international aid and development organisation.
