Sfax, Tunisia, February 03, 2010. Cogitel, a subsidiary of Altea Packaging Group, has been awarded the recently promoted Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) status. It is one of the first 9 Tunisian companies that have been selected by the Tunisian customs authority.

Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) status is one of the pillars of customs-trade Partnership. This status offers different advantages in international trade; it dramatically speeds up the flow of goods and materials through customs.

Hatem Lahiani, Export Manager at Cogitel states that the eligibility requirements were met. Notably, Cogitel has demonstrated reliable customs and financial accounting as well as proven financial security. It also has storage areas with a sufficient capacity to store imported goods and has the necessary material and human resources for the handling and manipulation of films, inks, adhesives and other raw materials needed for printing and converting flexible packaging. All these conditions enable Cogitel to access the status of Authorized Economic Operator.

According to Nizar Ben Ayed, Transit manager at Cogitel, the AEO status allows Cogitel simplified and faster customs clearance procedures. Cogitel ensures safety and traceability of the supply chain.

Nadia Zeghal, General Manager of Cogitel, says that the company is certified ISO 9001 version 2008 and ISO 22000 version 2005 and it has an appropriate financial and quality management systems. The AEO status is an acknowledgement of the company's efforts on transparency and financial solvency. This reflects the trust of customs officials earned by Cogitel, she adds.

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the seminar "Customs and Companies: promoting efficiency through partnership" held in Tunis, by the Tunisian Customs on the International Day of Customs. Mr Hadi Zeghal, Chairman of Cogitel and Altea Packaging Group, thanked the Tunisian Authorities for this initiative favoring transparent and responsible companies. This measure is one among many that contribute to the improvement of Tunisian firms' competitiveness. In this respect, Cogitel has already benefited from the "Industry up hauling" program and Famex, an export incentive scheme supported by the World Bank, whose success at the national level demonstrates the effectiveness of the policies adopted by the Tunisian Government to promote national enterprises and entrepreneurs.

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About Altea Packaging:
Altea Packaging is the flexible packaging leader in the MENA region with an industrial presence in Europe. With an installed capacity of over 40 thousand tons yearly, more than 780 employees and 9 industrial plants ranging from Morocco to Egypt, including France and Tunisia, where the group was given birth Altea Packaging has the know-how to compete with that of the biggest international companies in the sector. Altea Packaging is the unique actor to provide proximity service to all multinationals throughout the region and all companies looking for a service quality from a reliable supplier having a long experience in the field.

For more information: http://www.altea-packaging.com/

About Cogitel:
Cogitel, created in 1984, is the flexible packaging leader in Tunisia, with a 2008 turnover above the 38M TND mark. It has over 210 employees on an industrial site of around 7 hectares located in the Sidi Salah industrial zone, Sfax. It is ISO 9001-2008 and ISO 22000 certified. Cogitel produces packaging materials for a large products range, mainly biscuits, dairy products, tea & coffee, chocolates & sweets, pasta & couscous, detergents, personal care & cosmetics... it has an expanded know-how including Cogimix, lids, sleeves, pealable banderol, high yield films, IML labels etc.

Pour plus d'informations : http://www.cogitel.com.tn/

Contact: contact@cogitel.com.tn

© Press Release 2010