You may have heard that HMRC are changing their customs declaration system from the current CHIEF system to the newer customs declaration service (CDS).  This change will begin in August this year phasing in slowly to be fully operational by April 2019.

The CHIEF system currently lets you complete customs declarations electronically, calculating the duty and taxes to be paid and declaring any goods entering or leaving the UK. The new CDS system will not only continue to do this but will allow for a variety of new functions modernising the process.

CDS will also offer new benefits which will include:

• The ability to view previous import and export data on pre-defined reports.
• Check the tariff.
• Apply for new authorisations and simplifications.
• Check the duty deferment statement.
• There will also be online help and guides.

CDS will require some additional information this may include:

• an audit trail of previous document IDs
• additional party types, such as the buyer and seller
• possible additional commercial references or tracking numbers
• levelling – change between ‘Header’ and ‘Item’ for some data items
• location of goods identification (based on UNLOCODE)
• the warehouse type code list
• item tax lines, including method of payment codes
• unit of quantity codes (ISO)
• the way customs procedures are quoted
• the number of items on a declaration – CDS will allow a maximum of 999 items on a customs declaration instead of the current 99 items on CHIEF

Some of this additional information is required to ensure the UK is in alignment with international standards.

Your Freight Forwarder will be prepared for these changes and able to continue with the services they offer with little to no disruption.  If you have questions about the new CDS system or are not sure if it will impact you then you can visit the GOV.UK website and find our more information or give us a call on 01392 369923.