‘Paperless Customs must mean end-to-end reform, not just digital document uploads’
By Ifham Nizam The proposed introduction of Customs Paperless Declarations from October 1, 2026, could become a landmark step in modernising Sri Lanka Customs and facilitating trade, but only if it goes beyond replacing physical documents with electronic uploads, Customs House Agents Association president Channa Ranathunga has cautioned. Ranathunga, speaking to The Island Financial Review, […]
The proposed introduction of Customs Paperless Declarations in Sri Lanka, set to commence on October 1, 2026, presents an opportunity for significant reforms in the country's customs system. However, according to Channa Ranathunga, president of the Customs House Agents Association, the initiative should not be limited to merely replacing physical documents with electronic uploads.
Ranathunga emphasized that a true paperless Customs system should eliminate unnecessary paperwork, physical attendance, repetitive approvals, and manual intervention throughout the entire cargo clearance process. He stressed that the reform should focus on process transformation rather than mere computerization of existing procedures.
The initial implementation is proposed for CBHQ1, Colombo Headquarters 1, among the existing 56 office-of-declaration entry/exit codes. However, Ranathunga pointed out that this pilot project should demonstrate the benefits of a complete paperless process rather than just testing electronic submission of Customs declarations. Currently, Customs House Agents submit customs declarations along with numerous supporting documents, including commercial invoices, packing lists, bills of lading, and various regulatory approvals.
The limited electronic attachment capacity of around 300 KB per attachment could pose challenges when hard-copy documents are eliminated, as many commercial documents and certificates cannot be compressed without compromising readability and quality. Moreover, Customs clearance involves multiple government agencies, including the Sri Lanka Standards Institution, health and medicines regulators, Animal and Plant Quarantine authorities, the National Medicines Regulatory Authority, Atomic Energy regulatory authorities, and Import and Export Control.
Brief written by urgent.news from The Island Sri Lanka's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
