LEGISLATION WATCH- House committee to consult on speeding up customs clearance: The House of Representatives’ Budget Committee will consult with 23 organizations that work with the Customs Authority on customs clearance to speed up the process, House Rep Mervat Alexan tells Al Mal. Representatives will be asked their opinions on legislating a specific time period for customs clearance in an effort to reduce delays. The debate comes as legislators consider a package of proposed amendments that promise to expedite customs clearance, create a “whitelist” of trusted importers, and broaden the discretion of the Customs Authority.

It’s not clear whether setting a time will do anything to quicken the process. Alexan intimated that the reason for the delays stem from the sheer number of organizations involved in customs clearance, suggesting that what really needs to be done to simplify the process is to reduce the number of cooks making the figurative broth.

Background: The measures made it to the House of Representatives at the end of the last legislative cycle which wrapped up in July. The House is set to vote on the amendments during the current legislative session.