The House of Representatives kicked-off discussions yesterday on amendments to the Customs Act. The changes are being billed as a “cornerstone” of the government’s economic reform agenda and will impose “strict punishments” on customs evaders while reducing clearance times and fees for importers. (Yes, even in 2016, the rhetoric of punishment comes ahead of tangible benefits in the state’s selling line whenever economic policies are under consideration.) The hearing by the House Economics Committee also saw Customs Authority chief Magdy Abdel Aziz testify about current issues with the customs apparatus in the country. The authority has fallen 18% short of its revenue target for FY2015-16, which Abdel Aziz blamed on a lack of coordination between the Authority and other government agencies, Al Shorouk reports. Abdel Aziz called on the committee to swiftly adopt the new customs legislation to help it clamp down on customs evasion, alleging that 90% of import documents from China and Turkey are forged.