Hundreds of freight carriers in Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua are objecting to the payment of an $18 fee, which is being imposed to finance El Salvador’s a new x-ray system used to detect illicit goods, and protesting to long wait times at the border. Trucks with fresh produce and refrigeration trucks running on idle for hours on end are costing businesses money. The sum of the losses thus far is up to 15 million lempiras.

Container trucks stand in line as they are stopped at the border between El Salvador and Honduras
(Eliana Aponte/Courtesy Reuters).

Xiomara Gómez, Deputy Director of Customs Revenues of the Executive Directorate of Income (DEI) said that so far, they have come to an agreement with the Salvadoran authorities to allow the passing of perishable goods. “With those, there is a high risk,” she said.

On the El Salvador side, losses have amounted to $45 million estimates the Intergremial Committee for the Facilitation of Trade in El Salvador (Cifacil).

Meanwhile, the Central American chambers of commerce are attempting to address the issue.

FECAMCO POSITION ON EL SALVADOR

The Federation of Chambers of Commerce of Central America * (FECAMCO) is concerned about the situation that has arisen with the implementation in El Salvador of a “non-intrusive” inspection system, which has led to a serious barrier to trade.

As a Federation, we are aware of the need to implement measures to modernize trade in the region, so we support all initiatives that governments promote to achieve this goal, as long as the instruments of integration are respected and do not obstruct trade in Central America.

Truckers prepared for the wait at
the Honduras – El Salvador border.

Therefore, we call on the government of El Salvador to take up the issues raised by the Secretariat of Central American Economic Integration (SIECA – La Secretaría de Integración Económica Centroamericana ), understanding that without the application of a previous risk analysis, (this new system) becomes a barrier to trade, as inspections performed on all shipments are generating delays in customs. While legislation allows for the customs design of nonintrusive inspection methods, it is clear in establishing that they should not delay the release, or generate excessive costs, or obstruct the free movement of goods, services and people.

Trade and competitiveness of the region is being seriously affected by this situation, which means economic losses. That is why, although we do not actually support any measure that affects the free transit, we immediately request that a dialogue between regional carriers and the government of El Salvador resume.

* FECAMCO – Federaciòn de Càmaras de Comercio de Centro Amèrica) was founded in 1961 by the Chambers of Commerce of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama, and later the Chambers of Belize, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic were added.