Following a brief welcome, this session sets the scene. It gives an overview of applicable trade and customs policy and its relevance to:

• borders and regulatory control objectives
• trade tariffs by sector in the world’s main markets
• challenges and barriers to trade
• common registration, authorization, licensing, permit, certification, and packaging requirements

This session also looks at:

• the export-import journey and the many steps necessary (yours and those of others) to make sure goods clear borders smoothly
• “who does what” by giving an overview of the activities performed by officials, importers, exporters, freight forwarders, brokers, transport operators, port and terminal operators, etc.
• applicable trade and customs documents or their electronic equivalent
• policy trends and developments with implications on trade compliance costs and business opportunities

Short exercises are conducted to identify key learning needs and individual focus areas. These will be revisited throughout to enable participants set personal action points.

Here we dive into the technical by explaining how to calculate applicable customs import duties. Participants are thus introduced to tariff classification so that they are able to refer to their goods in the applicable tariff schedule. Duty rates can then be calculated by reference to relevant customs valuation and preferential origin rules. Practical examples are provided, including an overview of the documents that are often needed to take advantage of preferential trade arrangements. We also discuss possible duty exemptions for low-value shipments, available business support services, binding decisions, and the use of supporting online tools and reference resources.

Who is responsible for what can be a tricky question, especially when starting out or when things go wrong? It is best to prepare and be clear about compliance responsibilities from day one. We will thus look at standard commercial terms between buyers and sellers – the so-called Incoterms – and explore their respective implications within the context of duty payment liabilities, other indirect taxes (e.g. VAT), distribution models, and customer service expectations.

In this session, we will also take a look at the services offered by customs agents, freight forwarders, and brokers. This is followed by and detailed overview of how trade and customs declarations are submitted to the relevant authorities along with possible software, registration, authorization, licensing, permit, and certification requirements.

Discussed, too, are advance (pre-arrival / pre-departure) declaration requirements, the use of electronic systems, scope for automation, and simplified arrangements – e.g. for shipments sent by post or shipments destined for inland clearance. Important not to forget are the arrangements for physical inspections, their potential costs, and the risk of penalties and fines.

This might look like a very busy session – but it all links together and will be approached in a digestible and practical way!

This block concerns costs and competitiveness. We will look at access to advantageous customs treatment, such as: customs warehousing; special export processing arrangements; customs freezones; amongst others. Trusted Trader and Authorised Economic Operator programmes are highlighted, too.

In this final session we will also expand on:

• trade-off decisions between compliance costs, optimal load sizes and distribution arrangements
• methods to mitigate the impact of border related delays
• access to economies of scale and electronic compliance solutions
• access to public funded business support services and tools
• practical steps to keep up-to-date
• your relationship with the border agencies