Sri Lanka Customs

Enquiry Point & SME Information Centre

1. Introduction

Under the provisions of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), Article 1.3 it is required to establish an Enquiry Point to answer the reasonable enquiries of government, traders and other interested parties on matters covered by the WTO – TFA. It is mentioned that the information pertaining to the paragraph 1.1 of the WTO – TFA, should made available to the government officials, traders and other interested parties in a non – discriminatory and easily accessible manner. 

Sri Lanka Customs take the initiative to establish the Enquiry Point along with a Small & Medium Scale Entrepreneur Development Centre to empower the Entrepreneurs’ knowledge & awareness focusing the export procedures and how they can reach the international market.

2. Objectives

           -  Functioning as the official information portal of Sri Lanka Customs

           -  Fulfilling the provisions under Article 1.3 of WTO - TFA

           - Empowering Small and Medium Scale Enterprises through providing essential information and coordination

3. Functions

         -  Receiving Information Requests and Providing Information pertaining to the imports, exports and transit.

         - Filing Complaints

         - Providing information regarding Right to Information (RTI) Act

         - Providing Information Related to Small and Medium Scale Enterprises Development

4. Receiving Information Requests and Providing Information

Government officials, traders and other interested parties can easily obtain information to their reasonable enquiries which are under the customs purview. They can perfect their information requests by visiting the Help Desk of Enquiry Point at the Policy Planning & Research Directorate premises, by post, by e-mail, by fax and by telephone through Enquiry point’s 24x7 operating telephone hotlines.

5. Filing Complaints

Government officials, traders and other interested parties have the ability to complain about their grievances, scams, frauds or any other matters related to the Sri Lanka Customs. They can file the complains by visiting the Enquiry Point at the Policy Planning & Research Directorate premises, by post, by e-mail, by fax and by telephone through Enquiry point’s 24x7 operating telephone hotlines.

6. Duties in Relation with Right to Information (RTI) Act

The Constitution of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka guarantees the right of access to information in Article 14A of the constitution and the Right to Information Act (RTI), No. 12 of 2016 has been included with the provisions to use the right to information.

The Enquiry Point collects the written requests (including e - mails) from Sri Lankan Citizens to obtain information which are perfected under the provisions of the Right to Information Act.

7. Information Related to Small and Medium Scale Enterprises Development

The Enquiry Point of Sri Lanka Customs (SLC) is established under the article 1.3 of the World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement which is to facilitate the international trade.

Hence the Enquiry Point take the initiative to facilitate trade with providing information regarding the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises Development strategies and procedures by SL Customs and other competent Authorities.

Any interesting party has the ability to obtain information from the Enquiry point regarding the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises development.