G/TFA/N/CPV/2  
14 March 2024  
(24-2312) Page: 1/6 
Committee on Trade Facilitation  Original: French  
 
  
NOTIFICATION OF ARRANGEMENTS AND PROGRESS IN THE PROVISION OF  
TECHNICAL  ASSISTANCE AND CAPACITY BUILDING SUPPORT  
OF CATEGORY C DESIGNATIONS  
COMMUNICATION FROM CABO VERDE  
The following communication, dated 5  February  2024, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Cabo  Verde.  
 
_______________  
 
 
Cabo Verde hereby notifies information on the arrangements concluded and progress made in the 
provision of technical assistance and capacity building support of the following category C 
designations, in response to Article  16 of the Trade Facilitation Agre ement.  
To date, the country has not received any technical assistance and/or support under the provisions 
described below:  
Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article  1.2 Information Available through Internet  
 C 1 January  2023 
Donors  To be determined  
 
Progress in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support:  
The WTO was not notified of the postponement of the implementation date for this provision in a timely 
manner, the deadline being 1  January  2023.  
 
However, Cabo Verde has secured a loan for the single window project, which includes : preparing a foreign 
trade manual; the Foreign Trade Portal; upgrading ASYCUDAWorld ; revising and updating the Customs Code; 
developing a centralized risk management system ; and developing the single window platform.  
 
The Foreign Trade Manual has already been published in four official languages and is available at: 
https://www.governo.cv/manualdocomercio . 
 
Version  1 of the Foreign Trade Portal has already been developed. The Portal  is an electronic/computer 
platform that can be accessed at: https://portaldocomercio.gov.cv . 
 
The Portal was officially launched  on 17  November  2023.  
 
Technical assistance required:  
• Improvement/Upgrading of the Foreign Trade Portal;  
• Revision of legislation;  
• Training on website management; regular updates to online trade -related information by competent 
bodies ;  
• Purchase of information and communication technology equipment; and  
• Technical and financial support for translation into one of the official languages of the WTO.  
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  Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article  5.3 
 Test Procedures  C 1 July 2026  
Donors: To be determined  
 
Progress in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support:  
In terms of facilitation and in accordance with constitutional law, the government department in charge of 
agriculture is responsible for manuals on standards and procedures for inspection, certification and 
quarantine control.  
 
• The Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment (MAE), through the General Directorate of 
Agriculture, Forestry and Livestock (DGAFE), has developed the SIGA computer system 
(Management System for Sanitary and Phytosanitary Inspection and Authorization Procedures) to 
mana ge sanitary and phytosanitary inspection and authorization procedures.  
• The SIGA platform enables operators to easily file online applications for prior import authorization 
and online applications for sanitary and phytosanitary certificates for the export of animal products, 
plants and regulated articles.  
• It is operational and may be accessed by  interested operators at: https://inspeccao -
dgasp.gov.cv/portal/ . 
• The SIGA user manual is available from the MAE.  
 
Sanitary and phytosanitary inspection is carried out solely on the basis of the organoleptic characteristics of 
the product and documentary analysis, as there is no laboratory equipped to conduct microbiological, 
physical and chemical analyses of foods of animal and plant origin.  
The DGAFE laboratory only analyses animal samples for disease screening and diagnosis purposes . 
 
For the analysis of samples of foods of animal and plant origin, the importer/economic operator must use 
national laboratories, such as INLAB, run by In Pharma, or the laboratory of the National Institute of Public 
Health  (INSP).  
 
Technical assistance required:  
• Purchase of equipment and materials for taking samples to perform the first test, in order to 
improve inspection services;  
• Building of a laboratory equipped for physiochemical and microbiological analyses of foods of animal 
and plant origin;  
• Technical training in laboratory analyses;  
• Creation of a n SPS committee – WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary 
Measures; and  
• Training for SPS inspectors, in line with international best practices.  
 
 
Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article  6.2 
 Specific Disciplines on Fees and Charges  C 1 July 2025  
Donors: To be determined  
 
Progress in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support:  
Customs duties are detailed in the Customs Tariff and invoiced through ASYCUDAWorld . Other import, export 
and transit fees are provided for in sectoral legislation . 
 
In a notification made to the WTO in July  2023, Cabo Verde requested additional time to implement this 
measure because all the necessary conditions had not been met in this respect. The implementation of the 
measure requires legislative amendments and updated tariffs, which fall within the competence of the 
Government.  
 
Technical assistance required:  
• Conduct a study on the procedures for setting import and export fees, based on good practices, with 
the customs administrations of member States that have already implemented the measure.  
 
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  Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article  7.4 
 Risk Management  C 1 January  2023 
Donors: To be determined  
 
Progress in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support:  
The WTO was not notified of the postponement of the implementation date for this provision in a timely 
manner, the deadline being 1  January  2023. However, Cabo Verde has a risk management and analysis 
system for customs control to deal with potential infri ngements objectively and impersonally and in 
accordance with the relevant legislation.  
 
The Risk Management and Analysis Committee was created – Circular No.  2/2019 of 8  May and Order of 
23 August  2019 – in cooperation with the General Directorate of Customs (DGA); it is made up of 
representatives from the main tax authorities. The Committee advises the DGA on the monitoring and 
surveillance of risk management activities.  
Tasks include: monitoring compliance with the DGA's risk management policy; analysing the quarterly 
infringement report; validating risk profiles for the selection of economic operators, goods and origins likely 
to pose risks; and approving the list of economic operators subject to different channels.  
 
Various  selection channels (red, yellow, blue and green) have been established for customs declarations – 
Circular No.  03/2019 of 10  May and Circular No.  04/2019 of 28  May. The system automatically carries out a risk 
analysis, according to the data that has been entered.  
On this basis, the process is conducted via  one of the channels. Scanning devices have also been installed in the 
country's main ports and airports.  
A risk management policy was recently created through an extract of Order No.  21/DNRE/2023 of 2  October, 
establishing general guidelines for developing and disseminating a risk -based management culture and model.  
 
The DNRE's risk management objectives are to raise the overall level of tax and customs compliance; ensure 
appropriate risk analysis and treatment; develop instruments to measure risk management performance; 
and help improve internal controls.  
 
Technical assistance required:  
• Training and capacity building to:  
o Automate risk analysis for sending customs declarations to different channels;  
o Implement cargo risk analysis;  
o Implement data analysis and the use of advanced tools;  
o Implement a real -time surveillance system for the immediate detect ion of  suspicious activities;  
o Adapt the system to provide personalized risk analyses based on prior 
infringements/procedures and operator compliance;  
o Automate the investigation process for administrative infringements and integrate it into 
the automatic risk analysis system; and  
o Implement artificial intelligence models to identify suspicious patterns and behaviours on 
the basis of historical data and in real time.  
 
Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article  7.5 
 Post-clearance Audit  C 1 July 2025  
Donors: To be determined  
 
Progress in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support:  
Post-clearance audits are a key part of Cabo Verde's customs control.  
The anti -fraud unit of the General Directorate of Customs, in cooperation with customs offices, carries out 
post-clearance audits as part of  the customs clearance process (Decree -Law No.  76/2021 of 2  November).  
Technical assistance required:  
• Training for staff on the latest accounting and auditing systems, in accordance with e -commerce and 
transfer pricing developments, with a view to enhanc ing skills and strengthen ing knowledge  of new 
audit tools, since fraud and organized crime are constantly evolving.  
• Provision of training to a larger number of employees, given our archipelagic country status and 
staff turnover needs; and  
• Invest ment in new information technologies and digital opportunities, with a view to reduc ing 
immediate audits progressively, in favour of post -clearance audits, allocating resources to higher -
risk transactions.  G/TFA/N/CPV/2  
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Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article  7.7 
 Authorized Operators  C 1 July 2025  
Donors: To be determined  
 
Progress in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support:  
The existing Customs Code does not provide for the status of Authorized Economic Operator (AEO), hence  
the need to create and regulate this status . 
 
Technical assistance required:  
• Information on the experience of Members that have implemented the AEO  programme successfully;  
• Training for customs officers and other stakeholders on the functioning of the AEO  programme, i.e. 
on the selection, monitoring and audit for accreditation of the enterprises concerned;  
• Development of the ICT infrastructure for authorized operator administration within the customs 
authority ; and  
• Awareness -raising activities for customs officers and economic operators.  
 
 
Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article  10.4 
 Single Window  C 1 July 2027  
Donors: To be determined  
 
Progress in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support:  
The country is developing a  "single window" platform encompassing import, export and transit formalities, 
through which all foreign -trade related services will be available in a single place.  
 
A study entitled "Foreign Trade Strategy – Cabo Verde – Master Plan for a Single Window for Foreign Trade" 
has resulted in guidelines for the implementation of the project in Cabo Verde , the aim being  to reform the 
business climate in terms of foreign trade, while ensuring that such reform is carried out in a structured and 
programmatic way.  
 
However, the project still requires assistance to develop the system.  
 
Technical assistance required:  
• Development and/or upgrading of the platform;  
• System interoperability – The interoperability of the various applications and the standardization of 
the data to be exchanged must be guaranteed when implementing the single window. In addition, 
interoperability with all partners, as well as with the comp uter systems of the countries with which 
Cabo Verde may trade, must be ensured;  
• This interoperability must be sufficiently standardized, in accordance with various international 
standards (UN/CEFACT, WCO Data Model) to take account of the new trade flows that may come in 
tandem with implementing the single window;  
 
• Technical training – Training  of human resources as part of the implementation of reforms in areas 
such as ICT, logistics, customs and negotiations, as well as  training  of managers and those 
responsible for leadership, project management and change management;  
• Legal and regulatory framework – Improve the efficiency of the legal and regulatory framework 
through integration, coordination of the legislative agenda and notification management;  
• Governance model – Establish an institutional framework for foreign trade reform, to coordinate  
sectoral reform and implement  short-, medium - and long -term measures; and  
• Equipment – Maritime and aviation logistics infrastructure is central to foreign trade reform, as 
infrastructure and equipment need to be replicated at each point of entry into the country.  
 
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  Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article  11 
 Transit  C 1 July 2025  
Donors: To be determined  
 
Progress in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support:  
As an archipelagic country, Cabo Verde does not have any international routes for land/road transit. 
However, customs authorize the transit of goods, in international transhipment operations, arriving by air 
and sea.  
 
Cabo Verde has already implemented some of the proposed measures, such as:  
 
• The installation of X -ray scanners at the main sea and air borders;  
• At the ECOWAS level , a regional transit project (SEALINK) provides for the participation of all 
member States, with the exception of Cabo Verde as it is an archipelagic country. The inclusion of 
Cabo Verde is planned in a second phase; and  
• Transit traffic is not subject to any fees or charges imposed in transit, except for administrative 
expenses resulting from transit or the cost of services rendered.  
 
However, there should be a specific assessment of Cabo Verde's degree of compliance with the transit 
measures provided for in the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA ), in respect of aspects related to prior 
declarations, customs fees and charges, and the reduction or elimination of restrictive trade measures.  
 
The computerization of manifests for goods in international transit is also under way, integrated with 
ASYCUDAWorld . 
 
Technical assistance required:  
• Training on international transit procedures; and  
• Training on the implementation of best international transit practices.  
 
 
Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article  12 
 Customs Cooperation  C 1 July 2025  
Donors: To be determined  
 
Progress in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support:  
Article 12 encourages Members to establish mutual administrative assistance agreements on customs 
matters and regulates conditions for the exchange of information, such as protection and confidentiality, 
postponement or refusal, limitations, and unauthorized use or disclosure.  
 
Cabo Verde's customs has signed such agreements with countries where import and export flows are larger. 
At the level of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), a mutual administrative assistance 
agreement has been signed by the customs admi nistrations of member States.  
 
Furthermore, a mutual administrative assistance agreement on customs matters between Cabo Verde and 
Angola has been signed by the governments of both countries.  
 
At the bilateral level, the signing of agreements with Portugal, France and the Netherlands has been 
promoted, thus covering the country's main trading partners. The Ministry of Finance of Portugal and the 
Ministry of Finance of Cabo Verde signed a technic al cooperation protocol on 20  June 2023.  
 
Customs authorities must increasingly rely on mutual administrative assistance, which allows them to cope 
with the globalization of trade, markets and fraud, and is based on the principle of the continuous exchange 
of information in international trade.  
 
Members are encouraged to share information on good practices and cooperate regarding guidance or 
technical assistance in order to ensure compliance with requirements and improve their effectiveness.  
Regarding this Article, there are some provisions that allow for cooperation among customs administrations; 
however, the implementation of this Article has not been effective due to the time taken by some customs 
administrations to respond to the various r equests for collaboration in terms of assistance.  
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  Technical assistance required:  
 
• Training on negotiating bilateral and multilateral agreements;  
• Training on data requests, protection and confidentiality;  
• Implementation of the necessary ICT infrastructure for data exchange among administrations; and  
• Support for establishing trade between Cabo Verde and WTO Members, as part of implementing the 
Agreement, experiences and good practices.  
 
 
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