The purpose of this document is to define the terms and conditions under which, on the one hand, the publisher of the GUCE platform "Guichet Unique du Commerce Extérieur" (Single Window for foreign trade), hereinafter referred to as GUCE CI "Guichet Unique du Commerce Extérieur de Côte d'Ivoire", makes this platform and its related modules available to users via the Internet and, on the other hand, the manner in which users access and use its services.This document is legally binding and requires strict compliance with the General Terms and Conditions of Use of the GUCE platform and its related modules.For the user, mere access to the GUCE platform and its related modules implies tacit acceptance of all the conditions described in this document.
These General Conditions of Use apply only to the GUCE platform and its related modules. GUCE is a transactional WEB portal, accessible via the URL https://guce.gouv.ci, which enables economic operators involved in trade and transport to communicate information and issue standardised documents through simplified and paperless procedures at a single point of entry, in order to meet all the formalities required for import, export and transit.GUCE's related modules are designed on the basis of national and international regulations and the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET). These modules, which are upgradable, are classified into (04) four categories listed below: :
PRE-CLEARANCE: These modules enable economic operators to meet their administrative and regulatory obligations prior to importing or exporting their goods to or from Côte d'Ivoire at the premises of the relevant Technical Ministries or private organisations.
PRE-CLEARANCE MODULES |
CUSTOMS CLEARANCE : These modules enable economic operators to lodge the customs declarations for the imported goods and deal with the associated risks. In this way, they meet their administrative, fiscal and regulatory obligations when their goods arrive in Côte d'Ivoire.
MODULES DEDOUANEMENT |
LOGISTICS : These modules enable the declaration of the arrival of ships and aircraft, and the management of port operations linked to operators' goods by consignees and stevedores. They meet the administrative and regulatory obligations associated with the port management of shipping lines and goods.
LOGISTICS |
FINANCE : These modules enable the management of foreign exchange in accordance with the CBWAS regulations on financial relations with the outside world, and the online collection of fees relating to administrative procedures and formalities on behalf of the state or beneficiary entities.
FINANCE MODULES |
ISD : Information Systems Directorate
DIS : Director of Information Systems.
GTCU : General Terms and Conditions of Use.
GTCUG : General Terms and Conditions of Use of GUCE.
GUCE : Guichet Unique du Commerce Extérieur. "Transactional web portal”.
GUCE CI : Guichet Unique du Commerce Extérieur de Côte d'Ivoire. "State-owned company”.
IC GUCE CI : Internet Café GUCE CI.
ECOWAS : Economic Community of West African States.
CET : Common External Tariff.
The main terms used in this document are defined below: :
The purpose of these Terms and Conditions of Use is to provide a legal framework for the terms and conditions of access to the GUCE platform https ://guce.gouv.ci and its related modules and their use by the "User".As the subject-matter of a contract between the state-owned company GUCE CI on the one hand, and the user on the other, access to the GUCE platform and its related modules implies unreserved acceptance of and compliance with the GTCG.GUCE CI shall reserve the right to make any changes to the GCUGs that it deems necessary and useful.Any new module displayed on the GUCE transactional WEB portal is de facto subject to these GCUGs.
The GUCE platform and its related modules shall be published by the state-owned company GUCE CI, whose head office is located at Plein Ciel Building, VGE Boulevard, Marcory Abidjan.These GTCU shall be governed by and construed in accordance with Ivorian law, regardless of the country of connection to the platform and its related modules.In the event of a dispute, GUCE CI and the user shall endeavour to reach an amicable settlement before taking any legal action.
GUCE CI shall undertake to use all necessary means to guarantee the confidentiality and availability of data. However, GUCE CI cannot guarantee total security.GUCE CI makes its Internet Cafés available to users who so wish, enabling them to access the GUCE portal and its related modules free of charge.GUCE CI cannot be held responsible in the event of force majeure (natural disasters, government restrictions, social unrest, riots, wars, disasters, interruptions in the services of electricity suppliers, telecoms operators, etc.) for any causes impacting GUCE services and its related modules.
Users shall be responsible for the risks associated with the use of their GUCE account, previously created and provided by GUCE CI.Users must keep their session password secret. In the event of disclosure of the password, GUCE CI declines all responsibility.Users assume full responsibility for the information and content entered in their GUCE personal space.Users must immediately inform GUCE CI of any abnormal or fraudulent use of their GUCE account.Users shall refrain from any action likely to hinder or disrupt the proper operation or accessibility of the GUCE and its related modules.
GUCE CI shall provide the user with a personal space enabling them to manipulate their data with a view to using one or more GUCE services.Users with a GUCE account automatically have a personal space allocated to them according to type: Handler, Stevedore, Insurance, Bank, Broker, Importer, Exporter, Applicator, etc.Once logged in, the personal space enables the User to access his/her data and monitor the progress of the service requested.Users wishing to obtain a personal GUCE space must comply with the account creation/modification request procedure communicated by GUCE CI.
FREE GUCE SERVICES |
QUICK LINKS |
SUPPORTS |
DOWNLOADS |
However, GUCE CI shall not be responsible for any costs incurred by the user to access the site (Internet connection, computer hardware, etc.).Users with a GUCE personal space may access some or all of the pre-clearance, customs clearance, logistics and finance modules, depending on their type of user.
GUCE CI, with the view to guarantee the User a comfortable browsing experience on the GUCE portal, shall recommend the following minimum technical specifications :
Number of workstations (PCs and laptops) | Material specifications | Network infrastructure | Débit Internet |
Less than or equal to 2 |
|
| 20 Mbps |
Less than or equal to 5 |
| 20 Mbps | |
Between 5 and 10 |
| 100 Mbps | |
More than 10 |
| 2 Mbps or more. |
Number of IoT devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.) | Material specifications | Network infrastructure | Internet speed |
1 |
|
| 20 Mbps |
GUCE CI is committed to respecting privacy as well as rights relating to the protection of personal data in accordance with Law 2013-450 of 19 June 2013 on the protection of personal data.Users shall undertake to provide truthful and credible personal information when creating a GUCE account in order to benefit from the services provided and to promote optimal use of the GUCE website.In accordance with current Ivorian legislation, Users have fundamental rights with regard to the protection of personal data in their GUCE personal space:
GUCE CI may communicate the User's personal data to the competent authorities, in strict compliance with the laws in force.
The content of the GUCE website and its related modules (logos, text, graphics, videos, etc.) are protected by copyright under the French Intellectual Property Code.The contents of the GUCE platform and its related modules remain the exclusive property of GUCE CI. Users must therefore obtain prior authorisation from GUCE CI before reproducing, copying or publishing any of the content, even in part.Users are entirely responsible for any content they make available in their personal space and undertake not to reproduce the data of a third party.
The GUCE website contains hypertext links redirecting users to third party websites that are not published by GUCE CI. GUCE CI has no control over these sites and cannot be held liable for their content or for any damage or loss arising from browsing these third-party sites.
The GUCE website contains hypertext links redirecting users to third party websites that are not published by GUCE CI. GUCE CI has no control over these sites and cannot be held liable for their content or for any damage or loss arising from browsing these third-party sites.
GUCE CI uses cookies to enable the GUCE platform and its related modules to function and to improve the User experience.GUCE CI, through cookies, collects information relating to the navigation of the GUCE platform and its related modules (e.g. session identity, volume, frequentation, etc.) without however being able to identify the user.The user accepts and acknowledges the use of cookies and all other similar techniques enabling GUCE CI to collect data concerning the user for analysis and statistical purposes.Users may prevent cookies from being stored on their computer's hard drive by configuring their Internet browser accordingly. However, such opposition may cause the GUCE transactional WEB portal and its related modules to malfunction.
This module can be used to lodge certificates, licences, and prior import authorisations (APIs) for goods subject to the import restraint system. Processing may require the approval of one or more Technical Ministries responsible for controlling these products.
This module enables the exporter or his declarant to obtain a phytosanitary certificate from the Ministry of Agriculture by making paperless the phytosanitary processing and control procedures prior to the issuance of the certificate.In 2015, an initial version of the e-Phyto v1 module, covering only the issuing of phytosanitary certificates, was rolled out and extended to all plant products, with ongoing improvements.These improvements have resulted in a new version of e-Phyto v2, which covers the entire procedure for issuing phytosanitary certificates for export, followed by automatic transmission to the platform (HUB) of the secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) from February 2022, and the recovery of certificates for shipments to Côte d'Ivoire.This module is in full operation for all plant and plant-based products and is constantly being improved.
This module enables importers/exporters to issue insurance certificates to cover the risks incurred by goods during transport. It is also used by insurance brokers to issue insurance certificates for their clients and by insurers to manage insurance contracts and certificates. It is also possible to pay the insurance premium via the platform in order to benefit from the certificate.
This module enables the manufacturer or exporter to apply for the certificate via the GUCE platform. It enables recipients to benefit from duty rebates relating to agreements on the origin of goods and is also used for statistical purposes by the Ivorian Administration in general.
This module enables exporters to obtain export authorisation for forest products (timber and non-timber products) from the Ministry of Water and Forests.All stages of the procedure are taken into account, from the request to monitor the stuffing to adding the BL to the authorisation to confirm the cargo's departure.This module includes the following functions:
This module enables the importer/exporter to request the valuation and classification of their imported cargo via the GUCE platform. At the end of this assessment, a document is issued which is the Final Classification and Valuation Report (FCVR).This document is required when the customs declaration is lodged for all trade transactions worth more than XOF 1,000,000 and for certain products.After submission, the information is sent to ValueWebb, the system made available to the Risk, Intelligence and Valuation Analysis Department (DARRV, acronym of the French), which processes the transaction. Once the transaction has been processed, the RFCV can be downloaded from GUCE via the e-Ruling Center (e-RC) module.It should be noted that the processing and issuance time by DARRV is 2 days for an express air shipment, 3 days for a normal air shipment and 5 days for a sea shipment excluding perishable goods to issue the RFCV.
This module enables economic operators and the authorities responsible for quality control to have access to certificates of conformity to international quality standards for imported products.These certificates are issued before the cargo is loaded by the providers of the compliance verification programme, which are : SGS, COTECNA, BUREAU VERITAS and INTERTEK.
This module enables importers or declarants to submit their import application files to the Ministry of Trade. The module includes the process of direct debit of the commercial invoice to a commercial bank when its FOB value is equal to or higher than 500,000 XOF. Once the bank has domiciled the invoice, the file is sent to the Ministry of Commerce for approval. This last operation results in the issuuance of the import document known as the FDI (Fiche de Déclaration à l'Importation, Prior Import Declaration Form). This document is valid for 3 months and may be renewed once for a further 3 months.
This module enables the Cargo Tracking Slip (CTS) to be submitted, consulted and downloaded from the GUCE platform. It is necessary for the collection of DGAMP security and invoicing data.The module also integrates information about the ship and its crew and enables the shipowner's cargo manifest to be reconciled with the cargo registered with customs.
This module is a tool designed for Technical Ministries that enables the risk level of a commercial transaction to be assessed according to certain parameters previously configured in the system.The module can be coupled with all the other GUCE modules, in particular the customs clearance module. It is triggered by generating a risk analysis report when the said document is lodged and sends a notification to the technical department that has set the risk criteria. The risk assessment criteria provided for in the e-Risk module are: :
When the risk report is generated, it gives rise to a documentary analysis or an inspection of the cargo, followed by a result which is displayed in the module. Only this result will enable the procedure to be continued, in particular the condition for customs to release the goods.
This module enables customs agents to enter and submit detailed declarations via the GUCE platform. It also enables importers and exporters to see their declarations online via the GUCE platform.It has been partially used since 2016, as economic operators are free to lodge their customs declarations directly with SYDAM.
The Exemption module enables you to obtain import duty and tax exemption certificates online. Processing may require the approval of the Technical Ministry that previously issued the exemption authorisation, followed by Customs validation, or Customs validation only, depending on the case.
This module enables consignees and air carriers via the GUCE platform to register manifests with the customs administration and then send them to other administrations (PAA, PASP, DGAMP, Airport, Port Community, etc.). It can also be used for unbundling and splitting and includes functions for managing co-loaders and managing amendments online via GUCE. This module has been partially used since 2015, as it is possible to register your manifest directly in SYDAM.The co-loader management function makes it possible to list the various consignees who have loaded their goods onto the same vessel, so that each can register its own manifest. To date, the management of co-loaders, which means that a ship could have several manifests depending on the number of co-loaders, has not been adopted by the Directorate General of Customs (DGC).The online amendment function allows operators to request amendments and changes to transport licences from customs once their manifests have been registered. To date, the online amendment request via GUCE has not been approved by the DGD.
This module enables consignees and air carriers via the GUCE platform to register manifests with the customs administration and then send them to other administrations (PAA, PASP, DGAMP, Airport, Port Community, etc.). It can also be used for unbundling and splitting and includes functions for managing co-loaders and managing amendments online via GUCE. This module has been partially used since 2015, as it is possible to register your manifest directly in SYDAM.The co-loader management function makes it possible to list the various consignees who have loaded their goods onto the same vessel, so that each can register its own manifest. To date, the management of co-loaders, which means that a ship could have several manifests depending on the number of co-loaders, has not been adopted by the Directorate General of Customs (DGC).The online amendment function allows operators to request amendments and changes to transport licences from customs once their manifests have been registered. To date, the online amendment request via GUCE has not been approved by the DGD.
This module enables consignees to register their means of transport. It takes into account all the additional requests sent to the port and airport authorities during the stopover. It has been fully used at the PAA for stopover requests since 2021. However, technical work on automatic data exchange between systems for other requests is currently being finalised. Work on the PASP has been suspended pending the signature of a memorandum of understanding between the port and GUCE CI.
This module is the enhanced version of the Manifest module and is adapted to GUCE CI's PCS approach.
This module is dedicated to real-time monitoring of movements (unloading/loading, entry, exit, transfer) of handling units and goods. Works have been finalised with the Ro-Ro terminal (TERRA) and data exchanges are effective. However, operations with the other terminals have been suspended pending full operation of the Manifest with its co-loader and amendment management functionalities. In addition, the agreement of Abidjan Terminal and the consignees is awaited before data can be made available.
This module collects the various statuses granted to goods by Port stakeholders and/or other GUCE modules in order to generate release authorisations and/or blockages.
This module enables foreign exchange documents to be raised for the settlement of import supplier invoices and the repatriation of export earnings. It is made up of 4 sub-modules:
This is a cross-functional module that will eventually enable importers/exporters and declarants to pay online invoices for local charges determined by other modules, in particular invoices for charges relating to certain Pre-Import Authorisations (PIAs), insurance premiums, customs duties and taxes, etc.An initial pilot phase has been carried out, during which some of the customs declarations of Bolloré, Dikan Transit and MOVIS were successfully paid by bank transfer.To date, the following payment methods have been implemented:
A second pilot phase is underway for the payment of chemical APIs via WAVE.As regards bank transfers, a letter requesting agreement has been sent to the DGD to start a new pilot phase with the ECOBANK bank and two customs declarants.