Boosting the confidence of private sector through Customs

By Pittaluga Abogados

Among other actions taken, Uruguay Customs has been signing Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with public and private sector stakeholders aimed at establishing common lines of action regarding ethics and transparency, the fight against corruption and any others actions running counter to accepted behaviour by officials and the private sector.

These actions make it possible to boost the confidence of private sector, develop Codes of Conduct for Customs administrations and private stakeholders, carry out workshops and training activities related to ethics involving cooperation between Customs officials and foreign trade operators, and create action plans together.

“We already have the right tool and we have to keep on working in order to make the most of it. In order to reach that goal, each year an action plan is developed in collaboration with the signatories. This year, for those private stakeholders that do not yet have their own Code of Conduct, Uruguay Customs has volunteered to work together with them to develop one”.

For those who already have a Code of Conduct, the action to be carried out is a training activity for their members on their Code of Conduct and on Integrity. In that activity, a representative from the private sector will give a presentation of its Code and our Customs Administration will give a presentation of activities in the public area, referring to the actions taken and promoting the use of the Pilot Procedure for Receiving Complaints from Signatories of MoUs, using an information system specially created for these procedures by completing an electronic form. 11