All goods moving across borders must be declared to customs. Why must this be done? Firstly, customs collect duties and taxes and ensure that only safe goods enter or leave the market (veterinary, phytosanitary, marking and labelling requirements, CITES, export controls, sanctions, embargoes, etc.). But the world of customs is changing. It's no longer just about goods. It's also about the materials they are made from (deforestation, conflict minerals, etc.) and the way they are manufactured (forced labour, carbon emissions, etc.).

Are you not complying with one of the rules? The product is not authorised to enter or leave the market. The supply chain is broken. The customer is lost to a competitor.

On the other hand, post-clearance controls are even more important for customs than controls at the border. For example, companies can import goods for four years and, in the fifth year, discover during a customs audit that a mistake was made in all the customs declarations. This error could cost hundreds of thousands of euros, or even millions, and bankrupt the company. If you're not careful enough, you can't be sure that there isn't a 'time bomb' somewhere in the customs declaration. Thyssenkrupp (UK tribunal decision: Thyssenkrupp Materials v HMRC) had to pay millions because of an inward processing procedure error. Harley-Davidson (CJEU: Harley-Davidson Europe Ltd v European Commission) misdeclared the origin of goods, with an equally costly result. And there are many cases of this kind!

Large companies can't cope with the legal complexities, so what about SMEs that lack the resources… One more fact. Lithuanian Customs stated in their annual report that in 2022, 80% of companies that were audited post-clearance at their premises (there are also other types of customs audits) were non-compliant. On average, a company paid €41,315 in customs duties, taxes, interest and fines per infringement. In total, non-compliant companies paid €31 million.

As the saying goes, "If you think compliance is costly, try non-compliance".

Trade is global, you can't plan exports from the EU without taking into account the import requirements in your customer's country and vice versa (as Ronnie van Rooyen notes in an article "You have to start from the experience of the importer and work backwards to the goods to be manufactured, sold and exported").

So, right now, you can already take some courses that are globally relevant (e.g. on customs risk management, Incoterms©, letter of credit) or, for example, UK-specific (on CDS, importing and exporting to/from the UK), and read articles specific to certain countries, e.g. Ukraine, Israel, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, USA. 

We are constantly developing the knowledge hub (articles, videos, courses) by adding knowledge that is not only relevant to the EU. We also recognise that creating quality knowledge is a long-term process and that business needs to work now - it needs up-to-date knowledge now. That's why we are developing the integration of approved knowledge sources and AI-powered solutions to provide you with the latest information and knowledge on global customs and trade compliance. About every country in your supply chain. In the language you speak.

We live in exciting times. Multilingual technology can take your question and search the internet for you and find an answer. Translation technology can translate the answer into the language you speak. ChatGPT-type technologies can compile an answer for you from different sources (indicating the sources so you can verify the information). Finally, artificial intelligence can save you time by analysing your needs and ensuring that you always receive the information that is most relevant to you personally (it's about each individual person, not buyer personas).

No more endless and often pointless searches! Do you have a question about customs and trade compliance in any country in the world? CustomsClear'll give you the answer. Can't understand the “customs’ language”? We'll offer the training course best suited to your needs. And, of course, we'll make sure that your knowledge is constantly updated, for example through continuous professional development programmes.

Of course, this is still a glimpse into a seemingly distant future. But given the pace of change, what is a "distant future"?