Five months after the regulations for the creation of the Single Window of Procedures for the Colon Free Zone were approved in Panama, businessmen are asking for their implementation to be accelerated.

At the beginning of April, it was reported that the Board of Directors of the Colon Free Zone (ZLC) approved the resolution regulating the creation of the Single Window of Procedures (VUT) and its procedures to expedite trade in the free trade zone, however, so far the window in question still does not work.

Laestrella.com.pa reviews that “… Daniel Rojas, president of the Association of Users of the Colon Free Zone (AUZLC), said that the businessmen of the Colon Free Zone have been waiting for more than 30 years for this system and after its approval months ago, it is still not in force. As I said earlier, we know that there is a willingness on the part of the National Directorate of Customs and the administration of the trade emporium, however, we must continue to move forward with a view to finally making this system available.”

Rojas added that “… the VUT system is already in place in Panama Pacifico and the shipping system, which has this technology to receive ships, reducing six steps in one, with as few paper documents as possible.”

The Single Window consists of an integrated system of competent authorities in government procedures in physical, electronic and / or digital form that allows parties involved in foreign trade and international transport, through a single window or comprehensive system, manage the procedures required under existing rules for the entry, exit or transfer of the Colon Free Zone, as well as any other government procedure required within that zone.