MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Paraguay on digitalization path for imported vehicles paperwork

“When two institutions interact with their technological and legal areas, significant savings can be generated,” Fernández explained

Paraguayan Customs authorities have announced this week yearly savings worth G $ 800 million annually (US $ 116,000) thanks to new digital certificates which will replace the old ones printed on paper.

The National Customs Directorate (DNA) has started issuing digital nationalization certificates for motor vehicles with a new technology which, in addition to its financial and environmental advantages, speeds up the delivery of the documents involved, while it also allows for data integrity and traceability.

Between Aug. 16 and Oct. 18 a total 16,322 nationalization certificates have been issued, 16,257 of them in a digital format, only 65 were printed on paper due to technical matters, it was reported.

The new development stems from a cooperation agreement between Customs officials and the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ), was the Motor Vehicle Registry falls under the competences of the Judiciary.

Regarding the new technology, Customs Director Julio Fernández, said “this new electronic tool gives greater transparency and dynamism to the importation of automobiles and machinery.”

“It is an important step that we have taken and it shows that when two institutions, in this case the CSJ and the Executive Branch, interact with their technological and legal areas, significant savings can be generated and steps towards modernization and transparency can be taken,” he added

The new system is also consistent with the environmental policies of the institution as well as with the Zero Paper initiative currently in place. Regarding speed, certificates are now issued on average within 24 hours and 21 minutes after being requested.

The new method guarantees the integrity of the certificate's contents with the digital signature of the issuing officials and allow for the cross-checking of data with the Customs database, which will hopefully minimize the administrative loopholes through which corruption has been reported to take place.