Customs Clearance
Our in-house customs team ensures quick processing, utilising AEO accreditation to prioritise consignments, even those selected for examination.
Streamlined Customs Solutions
At Neptune Shipping Agency Limited, we consistently surpass client expectations by managing complex customs requirements with efficiency and transparency.
Our dedicated team, connected to major UK ports, ensures seamless completion of export and import customs procedures, providing regular updates on your consignment's progress for a hassle-free experience.
Ensuring Smooth Clearance for Your Cargo
Our team handles direct communication with HM Revenue and Customs, providing ongoing monitoring of customs procedures.
Additionally, we offer expert guidance on commodity tariff classification to ensure accurate duty rates. With a focus on efficiency, we manage all customs requirements and declarations while coordinating with port authorities for timely cargo clearance.
Leveraging extensive experience, particularly in food imports and certification for Products of Animal Origin (POAO), our customs team ensures seamless compliance with regulations.
Authorised Economic Operator (AEO)
As an Authorised Economic Operator (AEO), our shipments benefit from expedited customs processing, ensuring smoother and more efficient handling through customs controls.
AEO consignments also receive priority for examination or inspection, further enhancing the efficiency of the shipping process.
Whether you need assistance with classifying goods, navigating import duties and tariffs, fulfilling licensing and documentation requirements, or addressing additional duties such as anti-dumping duty, our team is here to provide expert guidance and support throughout the customs clearance process.
Preferential Origin of Goods
Trade agreements between countries enable importers to access preferential duty rates on certain certified goods, often facilitating reduced or zero customs duties.
These agreements are primarily established to enhance developing countries' export market access. To qualify for preferential rates, goods must meet specific origin criteria and be accompanied by valid preference documentation.
Detailed information on eligible commodities can be found in the HMRC trade tariff, which outlines duties and measures for imports and exports. Currently, three key trade preference arrangements and schemes are available to UK businesses importing from outside the EU.
-
The Developing Countries Trading Scheme replaced the UK’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences on the 19.06.2023.
The scheme allows products from various countries (65 in total) around the world to be imported at a reduced or zero rate of duty.
In most cases these are developing countries, and the scheme assists these countries with increased access to the trade market, overall contributing to their growth.
The DCTS scheme is structured as a sliding scale according to the needs of developing countries:
DCTS Comprehensive Preferences for least developed countries
DCTS Enhanced Preferences for vulnerable low-income countries (LICs) and lower-middle income countries (LMCs)
DCTS Standard Preferences Remaining LICs and LMICs that do not satisfy economic vulnerability criteria. This group is made up of India and Indonesia.
This new scheme has replaced the Registered Exporter (REX) System for confirming preferential origin from many Non-EU countries.
The below link will take you to the Gov.UK page detailing the countries under the DCTS scheme and their tier in the preferences:
-
Following Brexit from the 1.01.2021 the UK entered into a Cooperation Agreement with the EU.
This means that with the correct qualifying information on the commercial documents all Imports to the UK would be subject to preferential (Duty Free) treatment of the goods.
For Imports from the EU the Registered Exporter (REX) System is used by HMRC to confirm the preferential status of goods of orders over £5,500/€6,000.
Under this system, exporters can apply to become registered exporters. Once approved, exporters are registered in the international database and are allocated an individual REX number.
A registered exporter is able self-certify the preferential origin of the goods in the form of a statement of origin. The REX statement of origin is shown on the commercial invoice for the goods and contains the exporter’s individual REX number. This REX number is subsequently declared on the customs declaration for the goods.
For goods imported under the value of £5,500/€6,000 where Import Duty would usually be applicable an origin declaration is required with no need for the exporter to be REX registered.
Once goods exceed the value, to qualify for preferential status a REX number is required to be shown in the origin declaration.
Details of claiming Preference on EU originating goods entering the UK can be found on the below link:
