ATA Carnet

What is ATA Carnet?

The ATA Carnet is an international customs document that permits duty-free and tax-free temporary import of goods for up to 1 year. The initials “ATA” are an acronym of the French and English words “Admission Temporaire/ Temporary Admission”. 

It is used for the temporary export, transit and temporary admission of goods for specific purposes, e.g. for displays, exhibitions and fairs.

What goods are covered by ATA Carnets?

ATA Carnets cover commercial samples, professional equipment, and goods for use at trade fairs, shows, exhibitions. ATA Carnets do not cover perishable or consumable items, or goods for processing or repair. They are also not accepted for postal traffic and for unaccompanied goods.

Who benefits from using ATA Carnet?

With their ATA Carnet, salesmen, exhibitors, and other business travellers may:

• make advance customs arrangements at predetermined cost;
• visit several countries;
• use their ATA Carnet for several trips during its 1 year validity.

Other users are trade shows and fairs that will more easily attract foreign exhibitors, tourism and transport industries, the entertainment industry and concert promoters, sports events like the Olympic Games, etc.

How to get an ATA Carnet?

Carnets are issued by chambers of commerce and similar business organizations affiliated with the ATA international guarantee chain.

The cost of an ATA Carnet varies by country and is determined by the value of the goods, the number of countries to be visited, the costs for insurance or other services.

Which countries and territories use ATA Carnet?

Since 1963, the Carnet system has spread from a few Western European countries to include over 75 economies, for instance, Albania, Algeria, Australia, Kingdom of Bahrain, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Côte d’Ivoire, etc. 

What is the legal basis?

ATA Carnet is issued under the terms of the ATA Convention and the Istanbul Convention.

What is e-ATA?

Electronic ATA Carnet (e-ATA) is a project of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) aimed to digitalize ATA Carnets. The project is running a pilot phase with selected countries and their respective customs authorities. The participants of the pilot project are Belgium, China, Russia, Switzerland. Pilots in preparation are in the United Kingdom and the United States.

More information

International Chamber of Commerce: https://iccwbo.org/resources-for-business/ata-carnet/