Articles

Dmitry Grozoubinski is a recognized authority on international trade policy and the author of “Why Politicians Lie About Trade”. The book is an accessible guide to how international trade really … works. It gives voters a peak behind the curtain, and equips them with the tools to ask the right questions of those in power promising miracles or warning of disasters. In an interview with CustomsClear’s Anna Jerzewska, Dmitry talks about his book and experience venturing into the world of customs.

The use of the ‘legislative purpose’ criterion in the classification of goods (i.e. whether the product should be taxed or not) leads to a lack of uniformity and undermines the principle underlying … the HS Convention. Therefore, it is proposed to minimize the use of the ‘legislative purpose’ criterion and to return to the traditional classification rules of the World Customs Organization Harmonized System Convention. The article below is a short version of the full article, which has been published in the World Customs Journal, 2024, Issue 18(2). Publication of the short version with a reference to the full version was approved by the WCJ.

Do EU rules have a retroactive effect? There is no clear answer to this question. It has been the subject of a number of rulings by the Court of Justice of the EU in relation to specific acts … and situations. This article reviews one of the recent CJEU's judgments on this issue. It concerns the retroactive application of anti-dumping duties when they have already been repealed.

New Commission guidelines for cyber-surveillance exporters were published on 16 October 2024. The new guidelines aim to make EU controls “more effective and consistent across Member States”. … The information provided by the Commission is not new but offers a clarification on how controls should be carried out by traders. They assist EU exporters in navigating export controls for cyber-surveillance items by providing a step-by-step approach to transaction screening.

News in brief: safety and security declarations, reduced data set and Single Window delayed. UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) consultation response and plastic packaging tax consultation … response published. Two new Tariff notices issued. New guidance on internal market movements from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. New guidance on preventing Russian export control and sanctions evasion. Trade remedies notices: registration of imports of biodiesel originating from China. Trade remedies notices: registration of imports of certain engine oils and hydraulic fluids from Lithuania and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Tobacco Duty: changes to rates from 30 October 2024. Postponement of the Tariff Data Structure – Autonomous Suspensions.

News in week 44: Combined Nomenclature 2025; WCO exploratory study on the possible strategic review of the HS; definitive countervailing duties on imports of electric vehicles; initiation of … an anti-dumping proceeding concerning imports of choline chloride; EU-Colombia, Peru trade agreement - next step; CBAM updated documents; Commission opens formal proceedings against Temu.

Everyone knows how crucial accurate customs classification is to global trade compliance. In this article, the author explores the importance of accurate data in customs classification, which … data matters, and how to trust the data you are working with. She also explores the evolving role that Artificial Intelligence (AI) can play in assigning tariff codes now and potentially in the future.

The topic of sanctions is of particular importance in EU Customs Law, as sanctions are relevant tools for ensuring the proper enforcement of the latter in EU Member States. In this regard, the … Proposal of 17 May 2023 for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Union Customs Code and the European Union Customs Authority, and repealing Regulation (EU) No 952/2013, highlights the negative effects of the lack of harmonization in terms of customs sanctions. It is emphasized therein that customs penalties vary greatly across Member States and are subject to evolution over time; in addition, the significant divergences between Member States in the application of sanctions against breaches of customs legislation can lead to a distortion of competition, loopholes and “customs shopping”.

This article talks about the meaning of “ex” before commodity codes listed under Annex I of the EU Deforestation Regulation. With confusion around the interpretation of these codes, it’s one … of the points that would need to be clarified before the Regulation can be implemented.

Customs valuation disputes are very common worldwide. In Israel, valuation disputes concerning foodstuff supervision costs were resolved few years ago, in favour of the State. It was ruled that … these supervision costs are inseparable from the goods value, and therefore dutiable.

In this article, the author outlines the content of his presentation and the subsequent questions and answers session during the meeting of the Council's Customs Union Working Group (CUG) on … 19 September 2024, in Brussels. The author was invited by the Hungarian Presidency as a customs law expert.

UK-Ukraine Digital Trade Agreement. Suspension of 30 arms export licenses to Israel. Moving the “Rest of World” sheepmeat, poultry and beef to Northern Ireland. Important updates on the implementation … of the Windsor Framework, the TSS system and the 'Not for EU’ labelling for retail products across Great Britain. New TRA anti-dumping investigation on Chinese tin mill. New trade sanctions against Iran. Launch of the ‘Apply for a SIEL’ service (LITE) public beta.

News in week 39: Union Customs Code Annual Progress Report 2023; EU Single Window Environment for Customs - amended regulation, laid down rules for information exchange; compilation of the national … control lists adopted by Spain, The Netherlands and France; pilot project for a 'comparative study on best practices for a stronger EU sanction enforcement'; updated guidance for industry on preventing Russian export control and sanctions evasion; new CBAM Self Assessment Tool; Commission Annual Report on the EU’s Anti-Dumping, Anti-Subsidy and Safeguard activities; Commission decision to register all imports of products under anti-dumping or anti-subsidy investigations; classification of panties, at importation declared as ‘incontinence management system’; and more news!

It would seem that customs compliance is one of the most complex and pressing issues for all companies and individuals involved in global trade. But is this really the case? Is there a widespread … understanding of how important it is to be aware of customs legislation and regulations and to keep up to date with the frequent changes and innovations? This question was discussed by experts from the EU, the UK, Brazil, Israel, Pakistan and Côte d'Ivoire at the 23rd Author's Meeting. The discussion revealed that many problems hindering customs compliance are similar in many countries. We invite you to read an overview of this discussion below.

News at a glance: significant amendments to the Ukrainian Customs Code; introduction of a new automated customs clearance system at all road checkpoints on the national border; clarification … of the customs classification of goods intended for the generation and storage of electricity; permission to export bio-methane from Ukraine; gradual annual increases in excise duties on fuels.

In June 2024, the EU took another step towards building a climate-neutral and circular economy and a greener environment. This is the adoption of the new Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 of the European … Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 - Ecodesign for Product Sustainability Regulation. The purpose of these innovations is declared to be quite noble - to increase product durability, reliability, maintainability, modernisation, reusability and recyclability, as well as to reduce waste generation and generally negative environmental impacts. Time will tell whether these goals will be achieved, as the first phase of implementation of these innovations is scheduled for July 2026. This article will help you understand what manufacturers, importers and other stakeholders can expect in the near future and the role customs will play in monitoring compliance with the new requirements.