Singapore Customs will now be able to disclose previously-confidential information declared by traders to other public agencies.

Amendments to the Regulation of Imports and Exports Act now allow Singapore Customs to disclose such information to safeguard public interests, for the investigation of offences, and for the analysis of trade trends and formulation of trade policies, said Minister for Trade and Industry Lim Hng Kiang in Parliament on Tuesday.

However, safeguards will be put in place to protect commercially sensitive data, he said.

The minister's approval will have to be sought for each information request, and will be granted "only when there is strong justification to do so".

The information declared by traders could previously only be disclosed with their consent, or when it was needed for investigation and prosecution purposes, or for trade agreements.