What are the objectives of a post-clearance customs audit (PCA)? What does “a desk audit” mean? What are the obligations and rights of auditees? And generally, from a business perspective, isn’t … it more important to get border controls right for goods to smoothly cross the borders than to care about PCAs? If you don't know the answers, continue reading this article, which gives an overview of the principles of customs audit-based controls around the world. Understanding these will help you better understand how customs auditors think and work. This is important to be prepared for customs audits and also to develop an appropriate internal procedure for auditing your company's compliance with customs and trade regulations, which is an effective measure to prevent costly errors or to detect and correct them in a timely manner (before the customs audit).

Customs valuation is one of the most problematic areas of customs, whatever the country or territory. Experts from different continents - from North and South America to Europe and Asia - confirmed … this at the 16th Authors' Meeting. The following is a summary of the main conclusions of this event. The topics covered: discounts, advertising costs, “fair prices” vs transaction value, the arm’s length principle when moving stock between branches, sourcing goods from non-market economies, advance valuation rulings, etc.

Free zone development differs from one country to another. Different countries use different types and concepts of free zones. In some countries, Free Zones are developed to stimulate incoming … trade, as in the case of the US Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZs), while in others, such as developing countries, they exist to stimulate export-oriented trade. In this article, we overview the various types of free zones and the benefits they provide for business. Editors' note: Mark Rowbotham, the author of this article, is the author of the book "Freeports and Free Zones: Operations and Regulation in the Global Economy".

For the second year, students from the Department of Control and Analysis of Economic Activities at the D. A. Tsenov Academy of Economics, Svishtov, Bulgaria worked in the Customs Control Club … formed at the Department. Participation in the club was voluntary, and in the second season 10 students actively participated. The work of the club was under the slogan "Customs in the digital world" and several issues were discussed such as what are the pros and cons of digitalization as a process, the level of digitalization in Customs control around the world, in the EU and Bulgaria, the opportunities for digitalization of import, export and transit processes, etc. As a result of the student's efforts, a summary essay on "Opportunities and Challenges in Customs Digitalization" was prepared.

Global trade based on preferential treatment offers benefits to its participants. The main one is a reduction in financial costs due to the application of reduced tariff rates when the goods … have a preferential origin. In other words, if a product originates in one country and is sold to another country with which there is a preferential trade agreement, the product may be subject to a reduced or even zero duty rate. However, the mere fact that the goods originate in a particular country is not enough to qualify for such benefits. The preferential origin of the goods must be proven, so that the customs authorities do not suspect any manipulation or fraud on the part of importers. Each specific preferential trade agreement sets out acceptable ways of proving the preferential origin of goods. A supplier's declaration is one of the means of proof. Let us find out what it is and when it can be used.