The Ministry of Commerce has announced that it will fully adopt online procedures for issuing import and export permits for more than 100 types of goods starting April 1, 2020, as part of efforts to implement social distancing to stop the spread of COVID-19 in Myanmar.
“The move is being made with the aim of avoiding crowded situations, but there will be difficulties in implementing it at first. We’ll also need to improve the fully online system to cope,” said U Khin Maung Lwin, assistant secretary at the Ministry of Commerce.
“We’re facing a great health risk, so the move is good for companies as well as in terms of prevention of the disease, and hopefullyit will speed up the issuance of the permits,” said U San Main, a business owner.
“Although the application of permits online is not available for all types of goods, most of the essential ones can be applied for online. It is a good sign as the country is trying to help reduce the spread of the disease,” he said, voicing support for the move.
Of 91 sections in the internationally standardised system of names and numbers to classify traded products called the Harmonised Commodity Description and Coding System, or Harmonised System (HS), fully online applications for 73 began on April 1. Essential goods such as pharmaceutical products, medical supplies for hospitals, consumer goods, chemical fertilisers, palm oil, and oil products, among others, are included in the categories.
According to the Ministry of Commerce, companies will be able to fill in application forms at the website www.myanmartrade.com.mm.
A spokesperson for the ministry said companies will have to register first to use the system and payments will be through Myanmar Citizen Bank’s (MCB) e-commerce system for the time being even as and efforts are being made for payments through the Myanmar Payment Union e-commerce system.
Relevant electronic data will be sent to the Customs Department to carry out a trial run with of the Myanmar Automated Cargo Clearance System (MACCS) for the permits issued online. To apply online, the businesses will be required to secure a Myanmar TradeNet membership, install Google Authenticator on their handphones for security, connect the Google Authenticator with Myanmar TradeNet Account, and open an account with MCB, the spokesperson said. – Translated
