The more than 700 technological improvements implemented since 2020 and the increase in exports from free zones, which went from US$700 million average in 2019 to about US$1.3 billion currentlymarked the central axis of the meeting “Free Trade Zone: The History of a Change”, headed by the General Directorate of Customs (DGA).
“The free zones in the Dominican Republic will have a before and after after Luis Abinader,” stated the Director General of Customs, Yayo Sanz Lovatónhighlighting the operational transformation and economic impact of the sector, was recorded in a press release.
The deputy director of Free Zones of the DGA, Julio Anulfo Pascualhighlighted that the event not only aims to present the initiatives carried out by Customsbut rather allowing the companies themselves to explain how these improvements have translated into greater efficiency and profitability.
- He recalled that in 2020 they received a “fully manual and analog” subdirectorate“, while today operations are managed through a digital platform which facilitates saving time and money and ensures timely compliance with suppliers and customers.
The transformation that boosted exports
The DGA also presented the advances applied to the sector, highlighting faster dispatches, greater logistical predictability, cost reduction and a more reliable business climate for taxpayers.
These improvements, the institution stressed, strengthen national competitiveness in a context of geopolitical tensions derived from the tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump.
Sanz Lovatón explained that the free zone model In the Dominican Republic it has evolved from a scheme concentrated in the textile industry to a highly diversified structure, with companies dedicated to technological and medical manufacturing, agribusiness, services and other value-added segments. “The free zones have been an engine for the country’s transformation,” he said, reiterating the commitment to continue strengthening them.
The event was attended by representatives of companies in the sector and Dominican Association of Free Zones (Adozona)who shared testimonies about the impact of the operational changes implemented by Customs.
The figures presented confirm the relevance of the sector: in 2024, the free zones contributed US$8,425 millionequivalent to 67.7% of national exportsin addition to generating 198,450 direct jobs and some 460 thousand indirect.
Likewise, the DGA highlighted that for each peso exonerated to the sector additional US$5 is generated for the national economy, reaffirming its role as one of the strategic pillars of the country’s economic development.
