The Chamber has been working with HM Customs to organise a programme of training courses to familiarise members with using the new ASYCUDA customs clearing system.  Last year B2B informed members that the new system was due to be implemented and would be organising a series of training seminars.
The new system is due to go live in the next few months but it cannot run in parallel with the existing computer system which is now over 20 years old. Customs clearing agents and importers have been trained at HM Customs’ dedicated training facility in Governor’s Parade so that they are fully up to speed on the new system before it goes live.  During February and March over 100 members have been trained on using the new system.
The new clearing system will be a great improvement on the one it replaces as it will enable clearing agents and importers to submit customs declarations electronically for the first time.  Duty calculations will be automatic so agents and importers will also know exactly how much duty is payable at the time of submitting their entry.  This will eradicate the uncertainties which had existed previously and had led to some declarations being delayed because there was a dispute between HM Customs and the importer over the amount of duty payable.
HM Customs is due to set up a training server which agents and importers can practise on in a simulated way before
the new system goes live later this year.
If any member has for some reason missed out on receiving training on the new system or has any questions about the new system they should contact the Chamber on 200 78376 or by email at info@gibraltarchamberofcommerce.com

KPMG Gibraltar hosted an e-Gaming Summit at the Leisure Business Centre in Ocean Village at the end of March.  The summit brought together the sector’s major players and service providers both locally and from overseas to discuss Gibraltar’s potential in the global marketplace.
The main aims of the summit, a first for Gibraltar, were to consider and debate how Gibraltar can continue to be at the forefront of developments in the online gaming industry worldwide.
The Chief Minister, Peter Caruana, opened the one day summit which was attended by more than 150 key decision-makers from the industry and included presentations by the regulator, industry practitioners, service providers and advisers.
Mike Harvey, Director for KPMG Gibraltar, told B2B at the start of the summit “that the e-Gaming sector is expanding globally and is already a major contributor to our local economy.  It is crucially important that Gibraltar continues to make itself an attractive jurisdiction for the licensing and operation of online gaming companies. This involves input from the government, key industry players and service providers in finance, IT and a variety of other key sectors. This summit will bring those key players together to discuss the needs of the industry as it grows and develops.”

During the first quarter the Chamber ran a number of workshops for members on using social media for business. These workshops looked at using Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn for business rather than leisure use. The workshops were led by WorkIT Gibraltar a specialist consultancy which advises companies on how they can  harness social media tools to benefit their business.
Separate workshops were also held on using a number of products and services from Google, many of which are free and can greatly assist companies in monitoring their own performance as well as that of their competitors.
The workshops have been very well attended by members and demand for them was high, so much so that the sessions have had been re-run as the first
and second series of workshops were sold out. Similarly, feedback from those members who attended has been very positive. Participants greatly valued the insight on how to formulate basic social media strategies as well as several useful tips on how to get the most out of these online resources. Future workshop topics will include the use of Digital Marketing Tools such as iPad and Tablets, Ebooks and Smartphones..