Asunción, Agencia IP.- The Ministry of Industry and Commerce, in collaboration with the Executive Secretariat of the National Council of the Maquila Export Industry, introduced a computer tool that modernizes and streamlines the maquila export procedures.
Implementing the new module for automatic processing of Maquila export requests reduces the waiting time from 24 hours to a maximum of 75 seconds. This service is available at no cost seven days a week, 24 hours a day.
The module was developed in cooperation with the T-Fast project, funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), for trade facilitation through which all procedures of the Maquila regime are carried out.
The system will receive the export request from the maquiladora company and automatically search for matches between what is authorized in the system for export and the attached export invoice.
The Minister of Industry and Commerce, Javier Giménez, stated that the time reduction is another step by the Government of Paraguay to simplify procedures and enhance the industry’s competitiveness, especially in a significant sector for Paraguay, which is Maquila.
He highlighted that this sector generates annual exports exceeding $1 billion and creates more than 26,000 jobs.
In turn, the Deputy Minister of Industry, Lorena Méndez, emphasized that what is being done manually, such as verification, is now recognized by artificial intelligence regarding components, importation, product, export, and online traceability to ensure system security.
Informatization marks a milestone for maquila
She stated that this launch marks a milestone for the maquila regime with the informatization and integration into the VUE platform. She added that this tool will reduce time and cost and provide security to transactions through artificial intelligence, moving towards a fully online process and eliminating the need for physical documents.
Likewise, the Executive Secretary of CNIME, Natalia Cáceres, stressed that the launch of this automatic export processing module under the maquila regime fulfills a commitment made to the maquiladora sector to arbitrate administrative mechanisms that can expedite their procedures. She noted that it will positively impact competitiveness and increase exports.
She mentioned that the Executive Secretariat has been implementing these technological innovations for some time and has positively impacted the management of maquiladora companies.
She expressed her conviction that the path to debureaucratizing procedures is incorporating more technology in state management, which the Ministry of Industry and Commerce aims for. «This is an essential achievement in our effort to modernize our management.», she said.
For their part, Carina Daher and Tatiana Mursa, representatives of the private sector, appreciated the effort to move away from paperwork that slowed down exports, advancing towards automation and debureaucratization of procedures. They requested to continue listening to and proposing solutions for the maquila sector.
Advantages of the new module
The new module offers multiple benefits for maquiladora companies, including efficiency and agility, continuous authorizations, fast processing of large documents, elimination of manual tasks, and freeing public officials for other operations.
Furthermore, precision and quality can be achieved by minimizing human errors, automatically extracting information, and using reliable data for analysis and decision-making. Cost reduction can be achieved by optimizing human and financial resources without additional costs for the State.
It also allows for transparency and traceability, with detailed records for greater transparency and accountability. It boosts competitiveness by improving export management times, enabling companies to increase their sales and market presence internationally.
The maquila sector has become an essential pillar for industrial and economic growth.
Among the foreign trade procedures related to the regime’s operation, the Maquila Export Request stands out for its relevance. It requires speed and efficiency from the State, so streamlining this process is crucial to enhancing Paraguay’s competitiveness in international markets.
The Acting Deputy Minister of Commerce, Luis Elías, and T-Fast executives attended the event.