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How are customs issues managed within companies? What is it that people in charge of meeting Customs’ expectations do? This article highlights the role of the key players in customs compliance … - customs managers. The findings presented are based on interviews with key informants in nine multinational companies from a cross-section of industries.

There is often a perception that laws are the domain of lawyers, taxes are the domain of accountants and financiers, profits are the domain of salespeople, and so on. Is this the right approach? … The purpose of this article is to examine why knowledge of customs and tax regulations is important not only for lawyers and financial experts, but also for other employees, especially directors, managers and other supervisors. The article is based on a presentation given on the occasion of the launch of the MBA programme ‘Customs Process Management’ at Vytautas Magnus University.

Why is there so much talk and writing about trade and customs compliance? Why is so much attention being paid to this issue in legislation and judicial practice? What are the consequences of … non-compliance with many laws and trade agreements? Read about 3 real-life cases of failing to comply and their consequences.

It is clear that global trade has new challenges and John Finley made a good point when he said that [business] maturity is the capacity to endure uncertainty. The future is uncertain, but the … key may well be to have a Customs supply chain that consists of a team working together to deliver cost-effective and quality goods as well as a matching service; moreover, in today’s world of global trade there is an urgent need to embrace and use data-driven decisions.

When we come to December and ponder what the new year may bring, it is an ideal opportunity to reflect on the past success and failure of our trade business in order to seek-out how to improve … our business performance in the future. Let’s consider compliance reviews that deliver the highest value but require the least effort.

Legal responsibility is one of the reasons why people refrain from engaging in non-compliant actions or activities. No one wants to be fined, let alone jailed, including participants of the international … supply chain. So, what does customs compliance mean for those involved in international trade? What rules should be followed?

Lawyers are often called by importers and exporters when something goes wrong. A customs lawyer with many years of experience representing clients in disputes with customs and in the courts is … an invaluable source of compliance knowledge. However, solving disputes in appeal procedures and subsequently in the courts is a long and costly process (and there is no success guarantee); therefore, be proactive, talk to a lawyer or a consultant beforehand about what and why can go wrong and take actions to prevent the issues.

‘Compliance starts from managers’ awareness’, ‘You can want the best specialists, but you can choose only among those available and fitting into your budget’, ‘Frequent legal changes and lack … of guidance introduce instability’ - these and many more aspects were highlighted by experts from various countries representing business, customs, and academia during the 12th Authors’ Meeting.

Customs compliance is full of challenges and ‘surprises’ from counterparties, customs brokers, carriers and other persons involved. Unpredictable risks and conditions are the inevitable companions … of international trade. However, there are many areas where companies might keep most of the risks under their control. What are these areas? What should companies do to mitigate such risks and meet the related challenges?

Reader's question: ‘We export certain devices to Ukraine. The product-specific rule is based on the value criterion. Can the value of expensive software, which was created and developed in the … EU, be counted as the value of originating materials?’ To answer this question, we review various aspects of the topic, which is becoming increasingly important, as more and more goods do not function without software.

‘I would recommend trade compliance to anyone with the ability to distil complex, rigid structures down to a practical reality. Trade compliance rules are a minefield that even the most seasoned … professionals cannot confidently claim they have a complete grasp of. If you're willing to constantly be challenged and willing to continuously learn you'll probably fit in well.’– says Samuel Draginich, Senior Trade Compliance Manager, EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa), Amazon EU and Member of the Editorial Board of CCRM journal.

This article looks at how Singapore Customs strives to bring efficiency in the management of trade operations to lower their impact on the environment as well as at the initiatives it has taken … to support environmental policies.

Importers often try to avoid customs clearance processes, relying entirely on the customs broker. On the one hand, the broker is a customs expert, possesses relevant experience and, ultimately, … receives a commission for his/her work. It seems that the importer should not be involved in the processes managed by the customs broker. On the other hand, such self-exclusion can result in very unpleasant financial and reputational consequences. This article considers the most common misconceptions of importers in cooperation with customs brokers, which cause losses for both sides.