Digitalization Of Customs Or New Barriers? What Entrepreneurs Fear In Kazakhstan’s New KEDEN System

Kazakhstan is introducing a new customs administration information system, KEDEN, which will replace the existing Astana-1 and become the main digital platform for customs clearance. But at a press conference on March 12, business representatives said the new system could cause cargo delays and additional costs for foreign trade participants, Orda.kz reports.

According to market participants, technical failures, difficulties with filing declarations, and the unstable operation of certain services create a risk of goods being held up at the border and in temporary storage warehouses.

Yerke Zhumanova, a representative of companies importing perishable goods, said processing time is critical for such cargo.

For perishable goods, every minute and every second is very important. If registration does not take place on time, companies incur serious losses.she said. 

According to her, before the system is fully launched, authorities need to make sure it can operate stably under real workloads. Business representatives also propose introducing priority clearance for perishable goods and simplifying procedures for interaction between customs authorities and entrepreneurs.

Customs Goes Digital, But Business Fears Cargo Delays

The professional community also pointed to real cases of system failures during the phased rollout. Sabina Darushova, a representative of the business community of foreign trade participants, said market players had already faced situations where cargo clearance became impossible because of technical problems.

We have specific cases where the program did not work, and foreign trade participants suffered business losses.Darushova said.

According to her, in some cases, entrepreneurs were unable to submit customs declarations for several days because of failures in the information systems, which led to cargo delays and fines.

Experts added that the stable operation of customs information systems is critically important for the country’s economy. A significant share of import flows passes through customs, so any prolonged disruptions can lead to delivery delays and higher prices for goods.

Industry representatives say customs digitalization should simplify foreign trade, not create new barriers for business. In their view, the KEDEN system should be fully refined and tested before its full launch.

Original author: Elvira Ivannikova

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