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The General Revenue Directorate (DGI), of the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), informs taxpayers about the publication in the Official Gazette of Resolution No. 201-0251 of January 12, 2022, "Which updates the duties of the users of the Electronic Invoicing System of Panama and the deadlines for non-active users within the pilot plan".

The Minister of Public Security, Juan Manuel Pino presented before the plenary of the National Assembly, the bill that establishes the State Criminological Policy. According to Pino, the bill has nine guiding principles that will contribute to reduce the criminal incidence, with a participative approach, so as to promote spaces for dialogue and the means to face the problem of criminality from a broader context, without improvisations and in a democratic manner.

Returning to face-to-face work during the pandemic has become yet another challenge for companies seeking - and in some cases, needing - to keep their workers in the office. In this regard, it is essential to maintain a conducive environment to avoid any contagion and promote a dynamic of productivity.

Port movement at Panama's Pacific terminals has doubled, generating greater challenges in daily operations. In fiscal year 2015, before the inauguration of the new locks, the Panama Canal recorded 758 port movements of container vessels of neopanamax and panamax plus dimensions, in the Pacific. By fiscal year 2021, the figure was 1,628 port movements of vessels with these dimensions.

For the next months of 2022, it is projected that the increase in maritime freight rates will continue as a consequence of the demand for transportation in the midst of the pandemic.

The Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama appealed to the will and discipline of the population, to continue moving towards national recovery and reactivation. "Maintaining and respecting the established biosecurity measures, and continuing with the successful vaccination process, which now includes children between 5 and 11 years old, has allowed us to move towards better days in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the arrival of the Omicron variant represents a new challenge in this fight", said the association.

Panama put on climate diplomacy to achieve articulation with countries in the region such as Ecuador, Colombia and Costa Rica, the formation of new "blue leaders" that have 30% of their respective marine protected areas. "The goal is that the four countries become blue leaders, the four presidents are committed", said in an interview with Efe the Panamanian Foreign Minister, Erika Mouynes, in the framework of her visit to the Ecuadorian archipelago to attend the signing of the decree of expansion of the Galapagos marine reserve.

The number of construction and new project plans increased in 2021 with respect to the two previous years. A report from the Single Window Directorate of the Ministry of Housing and Territorial Planning (Miviot) revealed that 104 construction plans and 185 preliminary projects were approved. The 104 construction plan procedures represent 21 thousand 10 housing solutions, which reflects an increase of 25 more procedures than in 2020 and 38 more procedures compared to 2019.

At a time when Covid-19 cases continue to rise in the country, the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama (Cciap) urged this Sunday, January 16, the authorities to continue the "timely review" of isolation times for those infected and quarantine for their direct contacts.According to the association, the guidelines proposed by international epidemiological research centers such as the United States Center for Disease Control (CDC) should be adopted. "This is important for Panama to be able to face the new wave of contagions, without impacting, once again, the functioning of the daily activities of the society", the Chamber pointed out.