In a move to enhance the predictability and transparency of trade in Tunisia, a series of workshops on advance rulings were conducted in various regions of the country. These workshops, organised by the Alliance and GIZ in collaboration with Tunisian chambers of commerce and industry, aimed to explain the mechanism to economic operators, including importers, exporters, and customs brokers.
The advance rulings mechanism is designed to reduce delays and costs associated with trade by providing clarity on tariff classification and origin rulings before shipment. The workshops were held as a part of an Alliance initiative to enhance trade competitiveness in Tunisia by supporting Tunisian Customs in developing the legal, procedural, and organisational framework to operate advance rulings.
In addition to providing information about the mechanism, the workshops provided clarifications on the new procedures introduced by the Government’s Decree No. 2024-152 of March 13, 2024, which sets the conditions and procedures for applying advance rulings in matters of tariff classification and origin.
The workshops also involved trainings from international experts who assisted pilot companies in preparing their first advance rulings requests and supported Tunisian customs officials in processing the same.
Over 70 companies participated in the program, along with more than 50 customs officials who received detailed explanations of the decree and the application process.