free trade agreement
-
FTA between UK and Australia entered into force on 31.05.2023
According to the press release of the Austrialian department of Trade and Tourism the FTA between UK and Australia entered into force on 31.05.2023. This press release states that: “…As of today, over 99 per cent of Australian products will enter the UK duty free. These include some of our key exports, such as wine, short and medium . UK tariffs on Australian industrial goods, such as auto parts, electrical equipment and fashion items are now eliminated. Australian agricultural products, including beef and sheep meat, sugar and dairy products, will have duty free transitional quotas, with eventual elimination of all tariffs. For Australian consumers, tariffs on 98 per cent of…
-
FTA between UK and Australia: a short update
In the official website of the Australian Trade Department it is stated that: “…During his visit to the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced 31 May as the date of entry into force of the Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement (A-UKFTA), following the expected completion of UK domestic processes…”; this statement is alligned with the HMRC website for which: “…These are the trade agreements that businesses can use soon, but that are not yet in force. Once an agreement is reached, it is signed and then scrutinised by Parliament. Following this, the agreement can then be ratified. Only when this is complete, and any implementing legislation has been passed,…
-
European Union, circular economy and customs compliance
The report “Squaring the Circle. Policies from Europe’s Circular Economy Transition” published in December 2022 by the highlights (among other thinks) the following peculiarities of the European circular economy: The private sector is playing a crucial role in the enforcement of the circular economy with its trade and environmental policies; Customs controls on the ecodesign compliance of the products (like the batteries). Indeed: “…New policy proposals are shifting the focus upstream toward more sustainable and circular products. With the proposal for a new Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) published in March 2022, the EC has presented a framework that will allow it to regulate circularity requirements for almost all…
-
Classification, green goods and Customs reform
On 17.05.2023 the EU Commission released the communication “ Customs reform: Taking the Customs Union to the next level” COM(2023) 257 final. This communication underlines that: “…the EU should take a leading role in developing a global green customs policy…” and “…There are several areas in which global customs can support environmental objectives. Besides greening customs administrations themselves41, modernising the classification of goods in line with the objectives of the twin transitions should be part of the ongoing strategic review of the harmonised system convention. Options for greening the harmonised systems (HS) classification range from issuing lists of environmental goods, to changing the structure of the HS, or even alterations…
-
EU Customs Reform: AEO, environment, simplifications and digitalization
On 17.05.2023 the EU Commission released the communication “ Customs reform: Taking the Customs Union to the next level” COM(2023) 257 final. This interesting document starts with a short message of Ursula von der Leyen for which “…It is time to take the Customs Union to the next level, equipping it with a stronger framework that will allow us to better protect our citizens and our Single Market. I will propose a bold package for an integrated European approach to reinforce customs risk management and support effective controls by the Member States…”. The three principles on which is based the reform of the european customs are: An efficient Customs…
-
Windsor Framework again more elements to complete the picture
Again we talk about the Windsor Framework and borders management between North Ireland and the UK. Indeed, the decision n.1/2023 ( of the joint committee established by the agreement on the withdrawal of the Unitend kingdom of the Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic energy community) of 24.03.2023 has been published on 17.04.2023 and lays down (among others) : (a) the conditions for considering that a good brought into Northern Ireland from outside the Union will not be subject to commercial processing in Northern Ireland; (b) the criteria for considering that a good brought into Northern Ireland from outside the Union is not…
-
Swiss Customs: permeability priciple, new PEM rules and supplier origin declaration
The ordinance n. RS/946.32 issued on 23.05.2012 by the Swiss Customs on the “origin declarations and statement of origin” has been modified and updated on 5.04.2023 with reference to the permeability of the new PEM rules with the old ones. In a nutshell, this amendment: Is valid only for origin declarations provided by suppliers based in the Swiss customs territory; Covers the goods falling in the some HS codes (whose we mention the ones listed under the HS chapter from25 to 97); Is focused on the permeability of transitional rules. Permeability means that I can calculate the preferential origin of a goods by considering both the supplier’s declarations with the…
-
Windsor Framework: formal approval
How do you manage your business with the UK? Do you like to be up-to-date? You should know that on 24.03.2023 the Windsor Framework (for the management of the North Ireland’s borders in the trade flows between the UK and the EU) has been formally approved and ratified by both the parties. The package of measures underlying the Framework is complex: it comprises 14 separate instruments, including: a political declaration, various instruments to be confirmed by the UK and the EU in the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee (“WAJC“). As we informed in 9.3.2023 two different categories of customs treatment are laid down: Goods moved from Great Britain to Northern Ireland,…
-
Customs duties abolition in Switzerland on 2024
According to the ordinance n. RS 632.10 released on 15.02.2023 the Swiss Customs stated that from 1.01.2024 the duties will be abolished on industrial goods. This ordinance has been published after the approval of Swiss federal Council.
-
Conditions and data for the approved exporter in the EU
How can you boost your export? With the approved exporter? OK but which are the requirements to become approved exporter? According to the “ Guidance on Approved Exporters” of TAXUD the prerequirements are: frequency of consignments (except for the FTA with South Corea); the exporter should be known as reliable. A condition may be that he must not be subject to bankruptcy proceedings or being in arrears of customs duties and taxes; Any product can be covered by the authorisation where it is originating in the framework of the preferential arrangement concerned and benefits from a preferential duty rate The economic operator has to provide with these data: Data relating…