Brexit brought about many significant changes in trade relations between the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union (EU), which are still being adapted to.
Among these changes, the implementation of customs declarations for goods entering and exiting the UK posed the most significant challenge for EU businesses, no matter what their proximity to the UK border. Companies from France through to Italy, Poland, the Czech Republic and the outer reaches of the single market have all had to comply with this new requirement.
However, in the face of these new complexities, customs platforms, led by CustomsPro have emerged as valuable tools for streamlining the customs declaration process, making UK trade easy for EU businesses. As you can read in our many case studies, companies who initially saw CustomsPro simply as a tool for completing UK customs declarations have found it both simplifies documentation requirements and also adds value through other parts of the import process.
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““CustomsPro is the complete Customs process in one place, you squirt the information in, you get the documents out”.”
Time Efficiency
One of the most apparent benefits of using an automated customs platform such as CustomsPro is the time saved during the customs declaration process. Traditionally, customs declarations have been a time-consuming and labour-intensive process, requiring businesses to complete numerous forms and manually input data.
CustomsPro simplifies this process, allowing businesses to submit accurate declarations quickly and with minimal staff training. A declaration can be made in as little as 2 minutes with completed UK customs clearance documents received within 15 minutes. This in turn helps to expedite the movement of goods across borders and reduce delays, ultimately improving supply chain efficiency.
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“We were staring at the ceiling. We were asking ourselves, It’s possible!”
Reduced Errors
Although the time-saving element of CustomsPro is the core benefit, using CustomsPro significantly reduces the risk of human error in customs declarations. Manual data entry is prone to mistakes, especially where language translation is required, and even small errors can result in customs delays or fines. This can be of particular benefit to companies in countries such as Spain, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania and Portugal which have a lower population of English speakers compared to other countries such as the Netherlands.
The data validation checks and algorithms within CustomsPro ensure that the information provided is accurate and compliant with UK customs regulations. This accuracy not only speeds up the customs clearance process but also helps export businesses avoid costly mistakes and delays in bringing goods into the UK.
Regulatory Compliance
Navigating the complexities of UK customs regulations can be daunting for EU businesses, especially with regular changes to rules and processes and the migration from the CHIEF system to CDS.
CustomsPro helps ensure compliance as it is kept up-to-date with all the latest customs rules and tariff codes and thus reduces the risk of fines and penalties for non-compliance.
Cost Savings
CustomsPro requires no upfront investment unlike many other customs platforms, so cost savings can be seen immediately. As well as the benefits already highlighted, the reduced risk of customs delays means that businesses can also avoid storage fees, demurrage charges, and expedited shipping costs.
CustomsPro can also be implemented in less than 24 hours and there is no long-term contract requirement. Consequently, there is no risk in trialing it in a live situation.
Enhanced Visibility
CustomsPro provides EU businesses with greater visibility into their UK deliveries. Its tracking and monitoring features enable the shipper and nominated businesses to track the status of their customs declarations in real time. This visibility enables better decision-making, as businesses can proactively address any issues that may arise during the customs clearance process.
As CustomsPro is supported 24/7 by the ChannelPorts team of customs clearance experts, 365 days a year; any issues that arise can be dealt with immediately.
As business trade volumes increase again, using manual customs declaration processes will become even more cumbersome. CustomsPro’s simplicity means that it accommodates businesses of all sizes. CustomsPro’s users range from small importers to large multinational corporations.
Scalability
In the post-Brexit era, EU businesses trading with the UK will continue to face new challenges, with customs declarations being a particularly complex and time-consuming aspect of international trade. Whilst in the long term the UK and EU governments look at larger scale, more holistic solutions such as the Single Trade Window, there is a need for a better way of working right now.
Customs platforms such as CustomsPro makes UK trade easy for EU businesses, offering an effective solution that can streamline the process, reduce errors, ensure compliance, and ultimately save time and money. By adopting CustomsPro, EU businesses can navigate the UK customs landscape with confidence, knowing that their declarations are accurate and in line with current regulations. And, as the global economy continues to evolve, automation will play an increasingly vital role in facilitating international trade, making it a wise investment for businesses looking to thrive.