At midday on Friday 20th 2020 November, IIFA Members simultaneously issued a BREXIT Preparation Toolkit to their collective Client base. Focusing on the Customs Clearance process, the toolkit details the actions Irish Exporters and Importers need to take so that they will be ready to have Customs Brokers complete Customs Declarations on their behalf.
In essence, the Customs process for Exporters and Importers can be contained to information flow. Once the necessary level of information is identified and gathered, third party Customs Brokers can arrange the documentary legal and financial data and procedural requirements to lawfully import or export goods into or from the territory of the European Union, on behalf of their Clients. Customs Brokers perform this role in compliance with the Union Customs Code, the rulebook by which all National Customs Administrations of EU Member States operate.
The work of IIFA Members
“Throughout the long BREXIT preparation process, there has always had a focus on incoming Customs procedures between UK and Ireland. Yet, the true depth of this process has often misjudged. Customs Clearance is more than a Customs Declaration, with additional layers such as Transit Procedures, Safety & Security Declarations, seeking Customs simplifications to ease the process for certain cargoes and updating the flow to work with Revenue Custom’s newly launched Automated Import System, a new software interface replacing the existing Import interface from 23rd November 2020,” comments Seamus Kavanagh, Executive Officer for IIFA.
IIFA’s BREXIT Spokesperson Tom Thornton added “Third Country trade exists today when IIFA Members arrange cargo for shipment to/ from United States and China and these Members are ready to apply that same process to Irish trade with the UK from 1st January 2021. The focus should not be on time running out, rather it should be on utilising that time to get prepared. With this toolkit, an updated version of a document issued in 2017, our Association has sought to make a clear preparation path for Irish Shippers to focus their preparations.”
How IIFA Members have been preparing for BREXIT
The IIFA membership body have long been preparing for this challenge. Across the Country, we have seen an increase in the number of ‘Temporary Storage Facilites’ to allow for customs activities to take place at an inland location, moving directly from the Port on arrival and thereby easing congestion at Ports and Airports.
At a staff level IIFA Members have expanded their headcount with the assistance of Enterprise Ireland’s Ready for Customs grant. New entrants are being trained through the Association’s thorough ‘Customs’ training programme. This unique course is both intensive and practical and pushes Trainees through a gauntlet of different Customs declaration types using real Customs Interface Software.
Use the time we have to take action now
“The Customs Clearance process is the existing work of IIFA Members,” comments Thornton. “They are ready, willing and able to handle this heavy workload on behalf of their Clients. The checklist within the toolkit will get Businesses to a position to where they are ready to hand this workload over to a third party for confident completion. Time may be short but a lot can still be achieved if we all do our own part today.”
To access the Toolkit, please use the below link:
Irish Int Freight Association - BREXIT Toolkit 2.0 - November 2020.pdf (dropbox.com)
IIFA's BREXIT resource Centre can be assessed via this link:
https://www.iifa.ie/iifa-brexit-centre/ (page no longer live)
