Business & Money | Saturday 7 February, 2015 2:49 pm |

In keeping with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to furnish an environment conducive to trade and investment in the UAE, Dubai Customs has upgraded its Post Clearance Audit (PCA) system. The PCA is an audit-based control conducted by Customs subsequent to the release of goods to ensure compliance with Customs and other related laws and regulations. Effective implementation of Post Clearance Audit helps scrutinize all consignments and supporting documents. The new technology makes Dubai Customs’ PCA processes smart and fully integrated. Training workshops on the new technology were conducted for PCA Department employees to ensure its smooth implementation and full utilization.

“We have invited our clients to “innovation labs” and incorporated their optimal feedback during the process of making this first of its kind system,” said Younis Othman, Director of Information Technology Department at Dubai Customs, highlighting DC’s compliance with the rules and regulations of the World Customs Organization.
“The WCO officially requested Dubai Customs to present this new cutting edge system at their Brussels Headquarters, being an innovative breakthrough that can be cascaded into similar contexts whether in Customs administrations or elsewhere worldwide.”

Othman further noted that numerous national and regional entities are currently measuring the feasibility of applying this system within their own paradigms. “Our new PCA is a smart integrated system fully connected with a set of multilayer systems, which provides a comprehensive perspective to assessing declarations status; thus effectively auditing and scrutinizing any transaction regardless of its type or level,” added Dubai Customs’ IT chief.
Commenting on the new solution, Ekhlas Al Mutawa, Director of Post Clearance Audit Department at Dubai Customs, said: “Dubai Customs has once again taken the lead among customs administrations in the region in delivering enhanced processes and upgrading transparency levels in its work to stimulate more economic growth. The top-notch solution, incorporated in the Post Clearance Audit system, has resulted in a significant increase in performance levels.”

“The technology solution was recommended based on Dubai Customs’ Information Technology Operating Model, enabling risk-based audit. The PCA project reengineered audit processes by aligning them with best industry practices as per the Revised Kyoto Convention, an international instrument adopted by the World Customs Organization (WCO) to standardize and harmonize Customs procedures and policies worldwide. The system enables the execution of best audit approaches and recording customs declaration findings to prepare comprehensive audit reports and keep track of payments, in line with the Customs principal objective of maximizing voluntary compliance,” Al Mutawa added.
The Director of the Post Clearance Audit Department at DC further noted that they opt for upgrading their processes, to keep up with the measures taken to turn Dubai into the smartest city in the world as well as to bolster Dubai’s business appeal.