The government will introduce the Paperless Customs Declaration Processing System from October 1 as part of its ongoing efforts to digitalise public services and modernise economic processes.

The Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake said the move is a key component of the government’s economic reform agenda and aims to bring Sri Lanka’s public services in line with global standards.

He made the remarks at an awareness programme on digital signatures and the Paperless Customs Declaration System held at the SEMA Building in Colombo today (28).

Dr. Kumanayake said the new system would streamline the customs clearance process by making it faster, more transparent and efficient, while providing greater convenience to import and export companies, according to a statement by the President’s Media Division.

He said the integration of the LankaSign digital signature with the ASYCUDA system would allow customs documents to be submitted online in a legally recognised and secure manner.

The Secretary to the President also noted that the system would help prevent fraud and corruption by enabling the detection of any changes made after a digital signature has been applied, the PMD noted.

Addressing concerns regarding employment, he said the introduction of the paperless system would not lead to job losses among customs clearing agents, although the nature of their work may change with the adoption of digital procedures.

He further emphasised that the cooperation of all stakeholders would be crucial for the successful implementation of the system.

Officials from Sri Lanka Customs, the Revenue Administration Reform and Modernisation Bureau, LankaSign, the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, customs clearing agents, import and export companies and other relevant institutions participated in the awareness programme.