Venezuela is ready to join the Customs Records Information Exchange, used by the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) members to share data, the Venezuelan News Agency reported Wednesday.

Venezuela's national customs administration manager Cesar Augusto Febres told customs chiefs from Mercosur members who are meeting in the state of Nueva Esparta that his country was prepared to adopt the information exchange mechanism.

"Venezuela has carried out the technological investments and human resource training to strengthen its information exchange capacity, and we will put the system into operation next year," Febres said on behalf of Venezuelan customs chief Jose David Cabello.

Joining the system will enable Venezuela to have greater control over its trade exchange with Mercosur members, and offer detailed risk analysis and other studies on merchandise, shipping and unloading.

The Mercosur customs chiefs and delegates will review customs strategies and mechanisms at the meeting. Endi