Customs Planning

Not only does The Customs People assist your business when addressing Customs and Duty or applying for Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) status, we can also provide guidance throughout the planning process, from start to end.

Our experience in the world of VAT and Customs has shown us that 80% of businesses that approach us are unclear when it comes to these complicated regulations. With this in mind, we endeavour to assist firms throughout the whole process, as well as train and advise your team on compliancy, reliefs and other aspects of the Customs system.

The importance of planning

Customs planning is a necessity for any business involved in the international movement of goods. In what can be incredibly difficult for businesses to navigate, the measures governing international trade go far beyond basic import and export procedures and the payment of duties - they affect a wide range of commercial policies and transactions. Unless managed and controlled properly with careful and timely planning, the process can prove incredibly costly.

If your business is exposed to trade policy, you should check if you can answer the following questions with a “yes”. If not, Customs planning should be carried out to support your international trading operations.

• Are you aware of the impact of Customs? Including product design through to the terms of delivery to your export customers?
• Have you quantified the burden of Custom duties and compliance costs on your business, and their effect on your earnings?
• Are you taking advantage of all available means of minimising Customs duties and compliance costs?
• Does your organisation have a person who is especially responsible for Customs planning and compliance?

Those businesses that recognise the savings and operational benefits that Customs planning can bring will find that it allows them to concentrate more on what matters, as opposed to dedicating additional time and resourcing to troubleshooting and resolving issues.

Customs reviews

We work on the basis that any Customs review should address three main points:

• Commodity codes

We will assist in ensuring you are using the right commodity codes for the goods you import/export.

• Valuation

We will help in ensuring your business is compliant with all Duty and Customs tax and actively look for any opportunities to save money.

• Reliefs

After reviewing your current system, we will make recommendations for, and assist in the implementation of any reliefs that are available to benefit cash flow and overall profits.