Proper knowledge of the commodity code is crucial for every customs declarant. After all, this code forms the basis for the amounts of import duties, VAT, excise duties, countervailing duties, and anti-dumping. A correct classification of goods might seem difficult, and yet it’s not. Because fundamentally, there are no excuses for classifying goods incorrectly: the [...]

Automation is key, made possible by TRIS Smart Tower. The database used for this is the ERP package from ECS2XL. As soon as the products leave the warehouse (and are consolidated on the truck), the corresponding data are sent automatically to TRIS Customs. The system draws up an export declaration in PLDA and sends it [...]

The Economic Partnership Agreement between the EU and Japan which came into effect last month will see nearly 1 billion euros of import duties being scrapped. To take advantage of this preferential tariff treatment you as an importer have two possibilities: proof of origin (importer’s knowledge) certificate of origin (registered exporter) Importer’s knowledge Based on [...]

The British parliament yesterday rejected prime minister May's Brexit proposal. Are we now really headed for a hard Brexit, or can we share the optimism of Guy Verhofstadt who said this morning on Radio 1 that last night's vote made it clear there is a large majority against crashing out? The next 70 days will [...]

There is a good chance of the UK no longer being in the European customs union after 29 March 2019. This will mean among other things that half a million more customs declarations will have to be made each year. Yes, half a million more. And that's just an estimate. Is your customs system ready [...]

Brexit will become a reality on 29 March 2019. On that date the UK will leave the European Union and its internal market, and Belgium will become a foreign border for the UK. Free trade in goods between the UK and EU member states will then no longer be possible, leading to a whole lot [...]

Since 1 October it is obligatory for customs clearance requests to be sent electronically, under the new rules laid down by the UCC (Union Customs Code, i.e. the EU customs legislation). European Customs Decision System (CDS) A brand-new, pan-European electronic system now permits requests for 22 different types of customs clearance to be submitted by [...]

"Distance selling" or e-commerce grew by 18% in Europe in 2015, reaching a volume of 550 billion euros. The EU is determined to promote this trade and is working hard to remove the obstacles in its way, by among other things streamlining the European Customs and VAT legislation. But already there are plenty of opportunities [...]

Last month the House of Commons gave the British prime minister the go-ahead to formally begin Brexit negotiations. The House of Lords is expected to approve this decision next week. Let us assume for the sake of argument that Article 50 will be triggered on 1 March. Under the terms of the Treaty of Lisbon a [...]

The new EU Community Customs Code includes a number of provisions that will come into force in Belgium in 2017. Here we introduce a number of new features that declarants will have to deal with in the near future. In a following article we will go into greater detail about these new aspects in the [...]