Published at the beginning of March this year, the new customs code, scheduled for publication next October, was at the center of discussions on Friday, June 30, at Hotel El Rancho during a breakfast debate organized under the auspices of the Franco-Haitian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. During this event, Edouard Vales Jean Laurent, former Director of the General Customs Administration (AGD), and Carlos Exantus, a former senior official of the same institution, presented and analyzed the content of the new customs code, while economist Etzer Emile provided a contextual analysis based on macroeconomic indicators.

In his intervention, economist Etzer Emile pointed out that the country is experiencing an economic recession, which implies that businesses are not performing sufficiently. He made considerations regarding inflation, exchange rates, private investments, imports, and more. "Imports have decreased significantly. From October 2022 to March 2023, there was a decrease of over 25%. While waiting for the publication of recent figures, this decline is further accentuated and approaches the 50% mark. Paradoxically, customs revenues continue to increase," said Etzer Emile.