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What is “Union Status”? Goods have union status when they are obtained in the European Union, imported into the EU and released into free circulation, or produced wholly from goods which fit the aforementioned criteria. If your goods are not released into free circulation under these conditions, …

What is Origin?  Essentially there are two types of origin. There’s the origin determined by where the goods were in free circulation and the origin where the goods were manufactured. For example, a car manufactured in Japan has been imported to Germany and sold by a German car dealer to a customer …

Please be aware that the classification of your goods has an impact on: Duties Import- and export limitations Documentation requirements Licenses Commercial policy measures Security measures How are goods classified? Goods are classified according to the Harmonised System. The customs …

The benefits of going paperless   Reducing the amount of paper used in offices has been a concern for many businesses across the world due to climate change, despite it being a renewable resource.   However, reducing paper manufacturing isn’t the only global benefit to going paperless.  And, saving …

Customs Support Group continues to grow. Over 400 employees in more than 40 offices in 5 countries support businesses with customs & trade expertise. These numbers went up again on August 5. Expanding the family On August 5 we welcomed CPS France to the Customs Support family. The company, founded …

The Port of Hamburg The Port of Hamburg is situated on the River Elbe and is approximately 110km upstream from the North Sea. Despite being relatively far inland, Hamburg is the biggest port in Germany, the third busiest in Europe after Rotterdam and Antwerp , and is the 15th  largest port …

What is the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)? The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is an initiative in the European Union that is designed to combat “carbon leakage”. This is the term given to manufacturing emissions that are released outside of the European Union. Although the EU …

What is import duty? Import duty is a tax that is levied on goods that are brought into the country from abroad. Unlike VAT, duty is not reclaimed during the normal course of business, so it should be accounted for in the cost of the goods when you are making your purchasing decisions. Depending on …

These numbers are important because 20% of the containers contain hazardous gases. Depending on the cargo, a wide range of off-gassing production chemicals, sterilants, and fumigants in these containers potentially pose a serious threat to transport workers, warehouse employees, and customs …

What is IPR?  Inward Processing Relief, or IPR, is a procedure enabling you to process, modify, destroy, or repair imported goods without the obligation to pay customs duties. It’s a form of economic licence which allows you to gain an advantage when producing or handling raw products. You are …