Santa Lucía

7.7 - Operadores autorizados

Artículos	7.7.1 – 7.7.2 (a) (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (i), (ii) – 7.7.3 (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g) – 7.7.4 – 7.7.5 – 7.7.6 Texto de la medida
Fecha indicativa de aplicación	31 diciembre 2020
Fecha definitiva de aplicación	29 diciembre 2026
Plazo para solicitar una prórroga, si fuera necesario	31 agosto 2026
Prórroga de las fechas de aplicación	Solicitud recibida 25 agosto 2026 Fecha definitiva original 29 diciembre 2026 Nueva fecha solicitada 29 diciembre 2028 Fecha acordada Motivo The Government of Saint Lucia through its Customs and Excise Department has been actively working to establish a Trusted Trader Programme as the initial phase towards the full implementation of an Authorized Economic Operator Programme. Some of the ongoing work has involved importer segmentation and the development of a Compliance Strategy. In order to fully implement the provisions of Article 7.7, the Government would require technical assistance and capacity building support to enable the development of an Authorized Economic Operator Policy Framework and operational criteria; process mapping and client segmentation using ASYCUDA World trade data and the formulation of a public sensitization and stakeholder awareness campaign. In this regard, the Government has been in discussions with the World Bank Group which has committed to supporting Saint Lucia with implementation of this measure. A World Bank Mission to undertake a scoping exercise is scheduled for the fourth quarter of this year. To ensure adequate time for the delivery of the technical assistance and capacity building support, including programme design and stakeholder engagements, the Government is requesting a two-year extension of the previously extended definitive implementation date of 29 December 2026, to the newly proposed extended definitive implementation date of 29 December 2028. Aprobación del comité Pendiente de aprobación Enlace a la notificación G/TFA/N/LCA/1/Add.7 Solicitud recibida 4 marzo 2025 Fecha definitiva original 29 junio 2025 Nueva fecha solicitada 29 junio 2027 Fecha acordada 29 diciembre 2026 Motivo The Government of Saint Lucia has not been able to secure the necessary technical assistance and capacity building support required for implementation of an Authorized Operators programme. The Government's attempt to identify the necessary support has involved engagement with a few donor development partners with discussions still ongoing. Aprobación del comité Nueva fecha acordada Enlace a la notificación G/TFA/N/LCA/1/Add.5 Solicitud recibida 23 agosto 2023 Fecha definitiva original 29 diciembre 2023 Nueva fecha solicitada 29 junio 2025 Fecha acordada 29 junio 2025 Motivo An internal assessment revealed that additional time as well as external support is required for the development and successful roll-out of an Authorized Operator programme. More specifically, the legislative and regulatory framework has to be further developed to take into account new processes and procedures, as well as the need for mutual recognition agreements. External assistance is also required to: (i) build the capacity of customs officials; and (ii) to develop awareness programmes aimed at enhancing the cooperation of potential operators in the sharing of confidential information critical to the process, and to ultimately improve the uptake of the programme. Aprobación del comité Aprobada Enlace a la notificación G/TFA/N/LCA/1/Add.4
Shift	Transferir de la categoría B a la C
Asistencia requerida para la aplicación	Una evaluación interna reveló que se necesitaba más tiempo y apoyo externo para desarrollar y poner en marcha un programa de operadores autorizados. Más concretamente, se debe seguir desarrollando el marco legislativo y reglamentario para tener en cuenta los nuevos procesos y procedimientos, así como la necesidad de acuerdos de reconocimiento mutuo. También se requiere asistencia externa para: i) desarrollar la capacidad de los funcionarios de aduanas; y ii) elaborar programas de sensibilización destinados a mejorar la cooperación entre posibles operadores en el intercambio de información confidencial de importancia crítica para el proceso y, en última instancia, mejorar la ejecución del programa. Etiquetas: Marco legislativo y reglamentario, Recursos humanos y capacitación, Sensibilización
Donante / Agencia	Banco Mundial
Informe de progreso	11 diciembre 2025 — G/TFA/N/LCA/5/Rev.1 One of the initiatives currently being pursued by the Customs & Excise Department includes the development and introduction of a Trusted Trader program, as a precursor to the implementation of a more substantial Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Program. To achieve this ambition, Customs and Excise would need to develop a Compliance Strategy and conduct a client segmentation to identify suitable beneficiaries. Technical assistance is therefore required to develop a Policy Framework/Compliance Strategy, to map the process, to set the criteria and conduct Client segmentation (using the management reports generated by ASYCUDA World). Support is also required to develop a sensitization and publicity campaign informing the trading community of this important facilitation measure. (Some of the work on this article may be delivered in conjunction with support activities under article 7.4 Risk Management (see above). It is considered that the current extended definitive date may provide adequate time for alignment.