On May 15, 2019, CLDP & ITA conducted a workshop on Best Practices: Implementing a 60-day Notice and Comment Process” for approximately 30 representatives of the Salvadoran Customs Administration (DGA).

The Salvadoran Customs Administration has demonstrated a concerted interest in implementing a 60-day notice and comment process for all customs regulations.

The workshop served as a foundation to uniformly instruct the participants on the intricacies of various public consultation mechanisms and institutionalize good regulatory practices as the Salvadoran Customs Administration prepares to create an internal policy to require all customs regulations be subject to a 60-day notice and comment period. Compared to other countries in the region, El Salvador has the greatest momentum toward reforming its public consultation procedures. As such, strengthening the Salvadoran government’s understanding of international best practices for public consultation will benefit the region by building momentum and serving as an example of what the remaining countries can work toward.

To achieve this, CLDP and ITA called upon several interagency experts with extensive experience with public consultation, particularly the notice and comment rulemaking process. The experts provided an overview of the legal underpinning of public consultation, assessed duration determinations for consultation processes, shared methodologies for reviewing and responding to comments received, and discussed whole-of-government approaches to improving transparency and governance mechanisms. Additionally, the experts walked through illustrative examples that showcased the consultation process from start to finish.

As a result of this workshop, the Salvadoran Customs Administration has increased its understanding of notice and comment processes within an international trading scheme. This workshop is part of a multiphase effort to promote transparency, cooperation, and coordination for the Salvadoran government and to improve interregional trade in Central America.