By Ifham Nizam

The proposed introduction of Customs Paperless Declarations from October 1, 2026, could become a landmark step in modernising Sri Lanka Customs and facilitating trade, but only if it goes beyond replacing physical documents with electronic uploads, Customs House Agents Association president Channa Ranathunga has cautioned.

Ranathunga, speaking to The Island Financial Review, said a genuinely paperless Customs system should eliminate unnecessary paperwork, physical attendance, repetitive approvals and manual intervention throughout the entire cargo clearance process.

“Paperless must mean paperless. Digital must mean end-to-end digital. Reform must mean process reform—not simply computerisation of existing procedures, he said.

He noted that the initial implementation is proposed for CBHQ1, Colombo Headquarters 1, among about 56 office-of-declaration entry/exit codes currently used by Customs House Agents.

While starting with a selected category was understandable, Ranathunga said CBHQ1 involved a substantial number of declarations requiring multiple regulatory approvals and Customs interventions. The pilot therefore needed to demonstrate the benefits of a complete paperless process rather than merely test electronic submission of Customs declarations.

At present, Customs House Agents submit CusDecs with numerous supporting documents, depending on the nature of an import. These include commercial invoices, packing lists, bills of lading, delivery orders, letters of credit, catalogues, technical literature, certificates of origin, quality, health and phytosanitary certificates, import licences and various regulatory approvals.

Ranathunga said the current electronic attachment capacity of around 300 KB per attachment could also pose difficulties when hard-copy documents are eliminated.

“Many commercial documents, certificates, catalogues and technical documents cannot always be compressed to that level without compromising readability and quality, he said, stressing that the electronic document management system must be capable of receiving and retaining clear, complete and legally reliable documents”.

Another major challenge was the involvement of multiple other government agencies in Customs clearance, including the Sri Lanka Standards Institution, health and medicines regulators, Animal and Plant Quarantine authorities, the National Medicines Regulatory Authority, Atomic Energy regulatory authorities and Import and Export Control.

Foreign diplomatic missions in Sri Lanka were briefed on the upcoming Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit (SLEIS) 2026 organised by The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce at a session organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, providing an opportunity to outline the Summit’s focus and encourage greater international engagement with Sri Lanka’s investment and business agenda.

The briefing provided representatives of diplomatic missions an overview of SLEIS 2026, which will be held on 12 and 13 October 2026 under the theme “Positioning Sri Lanka in a Changing Global Economy: Resilience, Reform, and the Future of Economic Policy.” The Summit will bring together policymakers, business leaders, investors, economists and international stakeholders to examine Sri Lanka’s economic direction and the opportunities emerging from its reform process.

The programme will look beyond the immediate concerns of economic stabilisation to issues that will shape Sri Lanka’s next phase of growth, including investment, trade, competitiveness, economic policy and the country’s position within a changing global economy.

Addressing the diplomatic representatives, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Arun Hemachandra said the Summit comes at an important point in Sri Lanka’s economic journey. With greater stability now being established, he said the focus needs to shift towards positioning Sri Lanka for its next phase of growth. He noted that the SLEIS programme reflects this broader agenda, moving the conversation beyond stabilisation towards resilience, growth and longer-term economic opportunities.

He also encouraged diplomatic missions to carry the message and opportunities emerging from SLEIS to their respective business communities, investment promotion agencies, investors and chambers of commerce, helping connect Sri Lanka’s economic priorities with potential international partners.

The 26th edition of the Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit will take place on 12–13 October 2026 at the Shangri-La Colombo. Registrations are now open at https://sleis.chamber.lk/. For more information, contact Alikie on 011 558 8805 (alikie@chamber.lk) or Shanuka on 0701082541 (events.division@chamber.lk).

Uber expands to the City of the Elephant Rock, adds third new district to SL footprint this year

Uber, announced the launch of its mobility services in Kurunegala, making it the third new district Uber has expanded to in 2026, following Kegalle and Ratnapura. Now, residents and visitors in Kurunegala can use the Uber app to book rides across cars, Tuks and motorbikes, bringing greater convenience and choice to everyday journeys around the city.

As one of Sri Lanka’s major commercial centres and an important gateway connecting several parts of the island, Kurunegala sees significant movement for work, education, shopping and leisure. Uber’s launch will make these everyday journeys easier, with upfront pricing and the convenience of requesting a ride to your doorstep through the app.

The expansion will also create flexible earning opportunities for local drivers across cars, Tuks and motorbikes, connecting them with more riders while providing the flexibility to choose when and where they want to drive.

Kaushalya Gunaratne, Country Manager – Mobility, Uber Sri Lanka, said: “The demand for reliable, app-based mobility isn’t limited to Sri Lanka’s biggest cities. We see significant opportunity to take Uber deeper into the country, and Kurunegala is an important part of that journey. As we expand, our focus is simple: bring the convenience of Uber to more riders and create meaningful earning opportunities for drivers in the communities we enter.”

Every trip on Uber is supported by built-in safety features such as real-time GPS tracking, trip sharing, driver verification, a 24×7 safety line and an in-app emergency button, helping provide greater peace of mind for riders and drivers.

The Kurunegala launch builds on Uber’s growing footprint across Sri Lanka as the company continues to expand app-based mobility to more parts of the country.