Launched on 1st January 2018, the National Single Window for Foreign Trade (GUCE) will gradually consolidate all information relating to foreign trade in a single transactional portal, that will enable any individual wishing to trade to or from Benin to get a clear procedure, as well as adequate support, to carry out his commercial activities online.
Ultimately, all interactions with the various administrations involved in foreign trade will be processed through the GUCE, thus allowing all documentation pertaining to a transaction to immediately become accessible to other administrations. Multiple and repeated submission of the same documents to various entities will thus be replaced with a unique online upload, without any need for traders or their agent to physically go to the premises of each administration.
During the initial phase, pre-clearance operations will be carried out through the GUCE, including requesting and obtaining licenses and certificates issued by Technical Ministries, along with dealings with Benin Control, the agency involved in the Benin imports verification program. Later on, customs clearance operations will be integrated through an interface between GUCE and the Benin Customs ASYCUDA WORLD system. Ultimately, electronic payment will be introduced for all trade transactions expenses.