News / National
Zimra goes digital
7 hrs ago | Views
The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) has announced that all Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Certificates of Origin will now be issued online, marking a major advancement in Zimbabwe's digital transformation and regional trade facilitation efforts.
The COMESA Certificate of Origin is a crucial document that enables exporters to benefit from preferential tariffs when trading goods within the COMESA bloc. ZIMRA confirmed that this service is now available through the Zimbabwe Electronic Single Window (ZeSW) platform, which is integrated with COMESA's electronic certificate of origin system.
In a statement, ZIMRA advised all customs clearing agents, importers, exporters, and other stakeholders that manual processing of these certificates will be discontinued. From 1 August 2025, the issuance and acceptance of paper-based COMESA Certificates of Origin will no longer be permitted. All relevant transactions must be conducted through the ZeSW system, which is designed to handle applications, approvals, and verifications entirely online.
The digital transition is in line with regional objectives to simplify and harmonise trade documentation across COMESA member states. It is expected to enhance the efficiency of trade processes, reduce delays, and provide greater security for exporters by allowing customs authorities in member countries to verify certificates in real time.
ZIMRA emphasised that companies wishing to continue exporting under the COMESA Trade Agreement must register on the ZeSW platform. The move is part of broader trade facilitation reforms aimed at improving Zimbabwe's ease of doing business and competitiveness within the region.
The migration to electronic certification falls under the COMESA Digital Free Trade Area programme, which seeks to automate key trade procedures and create a seamless trading environment across the continent. ZIMRA urged all exporters and clearing agents to familiarise themselves with the new system to avoid disruptions to their operations once the manual process is phased out.
The COMESA Certificate of Origin is a crucial document that enables exporters to benefit from preferential tariffs when trading goods within the COMESA bloc. ZIMRA confirmed that this service is now available through the Zimbabwe Electronic Single Window (ZeSW) platform, which is integrated with COMESA's electronic certificate of origin system.
In a statement, ZIMRA advised all customs clearing agents, importers, exporters, and other stakeholders that manual processing of these certificates will be discontinued. From 1 August 2025, the issuance and acceptance of paper-based COMESA Certificates of Origin will no longer be permitted. All relevant transactions must be conducted through the ZeSW system, which is designed to handle applications, approvals, and verifications entirely online.
The digital transition is in line with regional objectives to simplify and harmonise trade documentation across COMESA member states. It is expected to enhance the efficiency of trade processes, reduce delays, and provide greater security for exporters by allowing customs authorities in member countries to verify certificates in real time.
ZIMRA emphasised that companies wishing to continue exporting under the COMESA Trade Agreement must register on the ZeSW platform. The move is part of broader trade facilitation reforms aimed at improving Zimbabwe's ease of doing business and competitiveness within the region.
The migration to electronic certification falls under the COMESA Digital Free Trade Area programme, which seeks to automate key trade procedures and create a seamless trading environment across the continent. ZIMRA urged all exporters and clearing agents to familiarise themselves with the new system to avoid disruptions to their operations once the manual process is phased out.
Source - The Chronicle
