The Impact in Customs Efficiency of the ITSW: Mexico Case of Study

Abstract

The evolution and grow of international trade has made  the task assigned to customs services more important and complex. Now day’s customs administration is a relevant regulatory operator in international trade as facilitator and accelerator of trade. However, the study of efficiency on the public sector is more complex than the study of efficiency in the private, profit-oriented sector; due to the fact that public sector efficiency can be defined as capacity to achieve goals instead of perceiving profits. The aim of this research is to identify those areas which yield the greatest cost/efficiency gains from the implementation of the e-service system International Trade Single Window (ITSW) and to note the obstacles or disadvantages present on the implementation of the ITSW in Mexico as a case of study. The findings point out that, according to the first result of the implementation of the ITSW, Mexico has made good progress related to the efficiency of international trade procedures, simplifying the flow of information between traders and customs administration and reducing the time in customs clearance in 20%.