Customs clearance plays an integral part of the supply chain, but this process can be lengthy and time-consuming if proper protocols and requirements are not in place. The EU took measures to modernize and streamline some of the processes for clearance when the Union Customs Code (UCC) went into effect in 2016. One major aspect of the UCC is the option for shippers to utilize Centralised Clearance by 2020. Through this simplification, the declarant is allowed to lodge a customs declaration at the customs office where the business is established, regardless of which customs office the goods are physically presented into the EU.
Centralised clearance will present advantages to shippers, but there are certain preparations and measures that have to be taken in order to reap the benefits of this process change. At BDP’s Supply Chain Summit in Antwerp last week, our team polled the audience on how UCC and Centralised Clearance could not only affect their supply chains but how prepared their businesses are to implement the potential changes. The audience consisted of European importers and exporters from the chemical, digital imaging, retail, and hunting materials industries.
