Customs Consultancy
Our senior team of customs experts assist companies in improving efficiency, and using established customs procedures and terms defined within international trade agreements facilitate supply chain mapping and in certain cases reduce customs duty payable on the import of goods, and confirm compliance.
Alinea Customs is able to provide consultancy on all aspects of UK customs law and practice.
CUSTOMS CONSULTANCY
Professional expertise in UK customs law and practice
Alinea are specialists in UK customs regulations and their relationship to international conventions established by the World Customs Organisation and the World Trade Organisation, and provide advisory on areas such as:
Tariff classification
Customs valuation
Temporary admission
Inward processing
Outward processing
Freeports
Incoterms® rules
Our senior team of customs experts assist companies in improving efficiency, and using established customs procedures and terms defined within international trade agreements aid supply chain mapping to reduce customs duty payable on the import of goods, and confirm compliance.
EXPORT LICENSING AND PERMIT APPLICATIONS
Apply to the government for a license to export goods that are otherwise legally restricted
When exporting controlled goods, an export licence application must be made via the Export Licensing Unit or the Export Joint Control Unit, to obtain permission from the UK authorities for the goods to leave the country.
DIfferent types of licenses for controlled goods include:
An Open General Export Licence (OGEL)
An Open Individual Export Licence (OIEL)
A Standard Individual Export Licence (SIEL)
A CITES permit
Types of licences and permits Alinea Customs can assist with application for include:
Cultural goods
Goods identified as endangered animal and plant species on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) list
Goods covered by the UK Strategic Export Control List
RULES OF ORIGIN
Importers
Global supply chain mapping to assess the level of duty payable on import into Great Britain, identify which nations have established free trade deals with the UK or export under General Specific Preferences (GSP) or GSP+, and report on the necessary supporting documents, and manufacturing processes which support a claim to preference.
This may encompass goods with wholly-originating status; a change of tariff classification in accordance with product-specific rules or; the value-added rule, based upon cumulation – a limit of the economic value of non-originating materials which can be used before a product is considered non-originating.
Alinea Customs also advise on claiming quotas.
RULES OF ORIGIN
Exporters
Alinea Customs advise on originating status in relation to manufacturing processes, and the choice of an appropriate supplier’s declaration to facilitate sales and distribution on a global basis.
Alinea provides consultancy on which countries have established trade deals with the UK, and how to provide compliant documentation to clients to support them in a preference claim for zero or minimise import duty, and which type of supplier’s declaration is required, for example:
Products having preferential origin status
Products not having preferential origin status
Bilateral cumulation
CUSTOMS VALUATION
Confirm compliance across your customs transactions
In 90% of cases the transaction value will be based upon the use of method 1, the price paid or payable for the goods. However there are certain circumstances when this will not be possible, for example:
• Transfer Pricing – when a company sells stock that it owns to a subsidiary company
• Cross-border stock transfer between related parties – for example, between distribution centres or to an Amazon warehouse
• When sending or receiving samples or free of charge goods
• When sending or receiving replacement products
• When using a buying or selling agent
• When renting or leasing goods
C88 ADMINISTRATION
Our team of customs experts file import and export clearance to HMRC on behalf of your company
Customs clearance is required for all imports into the United Kingdom, and exports from the United Kingdom.
In order to act as your representative, Alinea is required by law to confirm authorization. To generate the agreement and open a customs clearance account we will request for you to send us the following:
Company Name
Registered business address
Companies House registration number
Country of Incorporation
EORI number
VAT Registration number
Business address
Anticipated weekly/monthly/annual declarations
IPAFFS ADMINISTRATION
Pre-notification required for all imports of products of animal origin and animal by-products
From 1st January 2022, all Products of Animal Origin (POAO) and Animal By-Products (ABP) consignments must be pre-notified on the Import of products, animals, food and feed system (IPAFFS), and all plants and plant products categorised as ‘regulated and notifiable’ will need to be pre-notified on either IPAFFS or the Procedure for Electronic Application for Certificates PEACH system.
Alinea can act as your company’s authorised representative to submit border control post notifications in advance of arrival, when we provide customs clearance.
In order to do so, please contact our team to arrange an agreement, and allocate the role of intermediary to Alinea Customs on IPAFFS, using your government gateway account.
CUSTOMS PROCEDURES
Entering goods into a customs procedure to suspend duty and/or VAT
There are numerous import and export customs procedures codes (CPCs) available to minimise or suspend for an allocated period, the level of customs duty and/VAT payable upon import into the UK, or to indicate that certain goods have left the UK for a temporary period for a specific purpose, and will return.
As these goods have not entered into free circulation, in the majority of circumstances they will remain under HMRC supervision, and may require an application for permission to use the customs procedure to be made in advance.
In most cases it is also advisable to provide instructions to the third-party agent in the recipient or exporting country to confirm cross-border compliance.
CUSTOMS TRAINING
Inhouse training on UK compliance
Alinea Customs has developed a specialised 2-day practical training course that can be delivered at our City of London headquarters, online, or on-site at your office. Designed for businesses seeking a practical grounding in UK customs procedures, this course has received excellent feedback from clients, who have found it invaluable in understanding the customs processes required for compliance moving forward.
Developed and led by industry experts with decades of experience, the course covers key areas such as customs valuation, tariff classification, rules of origin, and HMRC’s CDS system. Equipping participants with the knowledge and confidence to navigate customs procedures effectively.
For more details about Alinea’s customs training, visit our dedicated page or download the course guide to explore the comprehensive content and benefits.
