Articles

Reader's question. Is it possible to recover import duties if the imported goods are exported? For example, a Lithuanian company imports goods from China (releases them into free circulation). … After a few months, it happens that unchanged goods are sold and exported to a company in Switzerland. In such a case, could the Lithuanian company apply for a refund of import duties? Because the goods were exported and the company itself, if it had foreseen that such a situation would arise, would not have released the goods for free circulation but would have placed them in a customs warehouse. We also operate in the UK, what would be the rules there in a similar situation?

‘The aircraft tractor’ hauls an undamaged vehicle - the rate of the duty is higher than it hauls a broken-down vehicle! The correct classification of goods is important for the proper and correct … payment of customs duties.

“It is important for us to provide the floor for discussion of issues important for scientists and practicing lawyers focusing on respective fields, for logistic and customs professionals.” - … Prof Dr Borys Kormych, the Editor in Chief of 'Lex Portus' journal, tells in an interview about the journal, shares insights from articles, provides interesting facts about the case-law (Ukraine has an extensive practice of customs appeals), and answers other questions.

What customs-related databases do you use, find the most useful and/ or the most interesting? An exchange on customs-related databases used worldwide took place on 18 February 2021 during the … 4th meeting of the authors of the CCRM journal. Why there is no comprehensive list of such databases? Herewith we could start the list! We would be happy to amend it with the databases you use, write to us: info@lcpa.lt

Monthly overview of customs-related legal acts, case law, notices published in the Official Journal of the EU, and information published by the European Commission and by the World Customs Organization.

Trade agreements have their own unique rules of origin to determine whether something has preferential origin. They also each have their own rules on how preferential origin should be evidenced. … This can be confusing when a business is using multiple trade agreements. The focus of this article is on a particular method of evidencing preferential origin: importer’s knowledge. This is a relatively new concept in the EU, first appearing in the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement, replicated in the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and now contained in the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

Importing a car from the UK has always seemed attractive as there is a much bigger choice than in Ireland, prices are very competitive, and anyone could travel freely to make their purchase. … The currency exchange rate can also be favourable to Irish buyers. But importing a car from the UK has become more complicated in 2021 post Brexit. Here is an overview of the requirements for imports of cars to the Republic of Ireland from Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Jean-Michel Thillier, Director of Customs for the Hauts-de-France region of northern France and in charge of Brexit, took stock of the 'smart border' after one month of Brexit. The attention … of operators was drawn to various issues identified: unpreparedness for customs formalities, unnecessary requesting of preferential origin, etc.

While most trade compliance professionals are likely aware of U.S. Export Administration Regulations (EAR) as it pertains to exports originating from the U.S., many are not aware its scope can … extend to shipments that do not physically involve the U.S.

With numerous innovations such as smartphone apps as well as the elimination of Swiss sub-headings in the customs tariff numbers, Swiss Customs aims to drive digital transformation. Since Switzerland … is not part of the EU customs union, shipments of goods have always had to be cleared at the Swiss border. Now, cooperation with neighboring countries is to be promoted in order to exchange the data that is now available electronically with each other. This will speed up customs clearance on both sides. In this article, you will find out what innovations are in store for EU as well as Swiss companies.

European Commission released Guidance on preferential treatment, origin and customs procedures to assist EU businesses importing from and exporting to the UK. One of the questions clarified: … “Goods originating in the EU are exported to the UK and released for free circulation there. They are not transformed. Can they come back to the EU without paying duties?”. The only suggestion is to customs clear them as returned goods. Does the same principle apply to all EU FTAs? What are the requirements for returned goods to claim “zero duty”? What about “zero VAT”? Other requirements like Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary?

In the European governance the EU legislation distinguishes between the so called “formal law” and the “informal law”. The latter also known as measures of soft law. Formal law compromises regulations, … directives and decisions, whereby recommendations and opinions, as well as other methods of developing policy: e.g. policy guidelines are considered soft law. Practical examples of informal law in the field of customs are the Guidelines for Customs Valuation of Goods, the Customs Valuation Compendium, the Transit Guide. What is the significance of these documents in practice?

Continuing the overview launched a year ago, we present a review of the AEO Compendium 2020 published by the World Customs Organization (WCO). There was in the previous review mentioned that, … following Brexit, the EU and the United Kingdom are likely to sign an agreement on the mutual recognition of AEO programmes (which has already been signed) and that the AEO certificate will become even more desirable. We are after Brexit and before the VAT changes on low-value consignments entry in force - the number of businesses facing customs formalities is growing, as is the number of companies planning to apply for AEO status, so the topic of AEO remains important. What do we learn by reading the AEO Compendium? The compendium presents how the AEO programme has been developed in various countries over the past year, what mutual agreements have been concluded between the countries and the benefits for businesses with AEO status.

News: International Customs Day 2021; complementary amendments to the HS Nomenclature 2022; EU authorisation mechanism for exports of COVID-19 vaccines; EU-UK trade: Trade and Cooperation Agreement, … regulations on the making out of statements on origin for preferential exports to the UK and on the determination of goods not at risk; application of the REX system; EVFTA: cumulation in Vietnam with fabrics originating in South Korea; and more!

At present, the Russian Federation is the third most important trading partner for the European Union (EU) in terms of international trade in goods and the EU is the most important trading partner … for the Russian Federation. In addition, starting from 2012, the Russian Federation is also a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), so its trade relations with the EU are also governed by the WTO law. Taking into account the fact that customs duties, especially trade defence duties, have a significant practical impact on the volume of international trade between the EU and the Russian Federation and on international trade business, this article discusses the legal issues of their application and possible solutions, based on the recent WTO trade dispute settlement practice.

After months of wrangling the EU and the UK agreed upon the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) on the 24th of December 2020. This trade agreement came as a huge relief to most traders and … businesses who have exposure to the EU/UK supply chain. However, it was not long before this ‘Christmas present’ revealed some very significant conditions that invalidated many of the benefits that most thought the TCA presented. For Customs and trade professionals, this would have been anticipated to some extent, but to regular business owners who had come to rely on the frictionless trade that the EU’s Customs Union and single market facilitated, these conditions came as a very unwelcome shock.