Minister of Finance announces: Facilitating customs release and tax refund procedures for Egypt’s guests at the climate change summit (COP27)

A ministerial decree, issued by the Minister of Finance Dr. Mohamed Maait, to set up a committee composed of the Egyptian Tax Authority and Customs Authority leaders to facilitate the procedures of customs release and Value Added Tax (VAT) refund to Egypt’s guests at the climate summit intended to be convened next November in Egypt.

The said summit (COP27) enjoys broad participation of the United Nations (UN) member states, the UN Secretariat which takes part in the organization of the conference with Egypt, and many of the global mass media, including TV stations and news agencies. This committee is competent to take the necessary procedures to facilitate temporary customs release of all equipment and machines accompanying the UN secretariat, official delegations, or international briefing delegations that will participate in the Climate summit, clarified Dr. Maait.

The Minister also pointed out that a simplified customs procedures’ manual has been developed in both Arabic and English. The said manual includes import customs procedures under the temporary release system; advance customs clearance procedures; and VAT refund procedures for foreign departing passengers. This manual will be circulated, uploaded, and published on the COP27 official website, the Ministry of Finance website, and other related Authorities websites; declared Dr. Maait.

The Head of Customs and VAT Affairs Department, Dr. Mohamed Soliman Qura, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance (MoF), chaired this committee that involves the following members: Dr. Ahmed Hussein a general manager at Sharm El Sheikh Customs; Ramy Mohamed Diab a general manager of imports – Air Imports and Exports Customs; Amr Mohamed Anwar El-Khouly a general manager of Public Relations at Cairo International Airport; Nadi Ali Abdel Latif, an advisor to the Head of the Egyptian Tax Authority; and Salah Eldin Mahmoud a general manager of special exemptions researches.

Following up and facilitating all customs procedures related to imported items at the climate summit (COP27), and VAT refund to foreign departing passengers participating in COP27, are among the main responsibilities of this committee; also clarified by the above-mentioned MoF statement.

In the same context, the Head of the Customs Authority El-Shahat Ghaturi, stated that this Committee undertakes the responsibility for identifying the proactive procedures to be followed for the temporary release of equipment, machines, devices, and all items imported to the Climate Summit and notifying the competent authorities. The said committee will coordinate with the competent officials of the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to release such equipment, other items related to the United Nations Climate Conference Secretariat, items accompanying foreign correspondents who will provide media coverage, and items accompanying the delegations participating in COP27.

Similarly, coordination with the relevant ministries and authorities to define focal points to ensure smooth execution of import items to the Climate Summit will also be one of the committee’s responsibilities. In addition, the said committee will identify any problems that may impede the release process or tax refund. It will also take the necessary actions to overcome such problems immediately and propose any ideas to facilitate the customs release and tax refund procedures.

After handling coordination with the heads of taxes and customs authorities, the said committee has been granted all the necessary powers to be enabled to complete its functions on time, without delay, Ghaturi added. He stated that a fortnightly report will be developed by the committee on the results of its work to be submitted to the Finance Minister until the end of the conference, the departure of all delegations, and the termination of all procedures.

Furthermore, a technical secretariat for this committee has been formed to follow up and facilitate the customs procedures for the climate change conference. This committee involves: Salah Mohamed Salah al-Din a department head at the technical office of the head of the Customs Authority; Mahmoud Abdel Fattah al-Feki a first researcher; Ayman Mustafa Mouawad a second researcher at the Customs and VAT Affairs Department; Tarek Abdel Rahim Mustafa a first researcher at the Egyptian Tax Authority’s tax research sector; and Ahmed Samir Hamed a second researcher at the Egyptian Tax Authority, Ghaturi explained.