Understand the Customs Declaration Service
If your firm is registered with HMRC as an importer or exporter of goods, then you may have already been written to about the Customs Declaration Service (CDS). What will this new system mean for companies with overseas customers and suppliers and what do you need to do now? Read on to find out everything you need to know.
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What Is the Customs Declaration Service?
Replacing the old Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF) system, HMRC says the CDS is a more modern and secure IT platform for traders / freight agents to use to make their customs declarations. It is a single system that has been designed for use by both importers and exporters. The idea is that the new system will be able to cope with the expected growing demands of British-based companies.
The CDS system should provide British trading firms with a single service that will allow them to rapidly upload supporting paperwork, to make arrival notifications and to query any declaration status their consignment may currently have. In addition, CDS will provide a single location where traders and their customs clearance agents can receive notifications from customs officials.
Finally, CDS is designed to handle XML requests for the consolidation, movement or querying of consignments for the purposes of inventory linking. In short, it is a unified customs declaration and handling system.
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When Will the Customs Declaration Service Be Mandatory?
Although the introduction of CDS is likely to enhance the way HMRC handles notifications and declarations among exporters and importers, it will necessarily cause some hassle as British firms become accustomed to the new service. However, you cannot put off adopting the new system. CHIEF will be entirely phased out for import declarations by the end of September 2022. The same will go for export declarations by the end of the current financial year in March 2023.
What Do British Firms That Trade Overseas Need to Do?
According to HMRC, all trading companies with overseas suppliers or customers should begin transitioning away from CHIEF with immediate effect. They expect some teething troubles as firms become accustomed to the new service and want as many traders to learn how to use CDS as possible before the two aforementioned deadlines. Please follow the instructions on the GOV website to ensure your business is registered for CDS so that customs entries can be approved against your account. Link here:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/get-access-to-the-customs-declaration-service
What This Means For You?
At Barrington Freight, we have been preparing for the introduction of CDS for some time. Consequently, our customs clearance agents are fully prepared to manage declarations for imports and exports using the new system. We can still operate with CHIEF while it is possible to do so.
To summarise, you must register your business onto the new CDS system before September. If you do not, customs will refuse your cargo which could lead to unnecessary delays and charges. It should only take 5 minutes and once done, it is business as usual. Barrington Freight can continue to finalise your customs clearances in the new system, making sure your cargo travels without any issue.
Top Tips
2023-11-14
The guys at Barrington are brilliant! I've used them for my shipments for around 12 years now and they never let you down. Always happy to help with anything!
David Darrock
2023-11-10
Barrington Freight are extremely helpful and professional, promptly answering any questions or queries. Communication from them has been great and they have taken the difficulty out of importing freight.
Scott Glazebrook
2023-11-01
Our business is the supply of high end luxury furniture and as such we rely on Barrington Freight to provide a 5* delivery service which they have done time and time again.
Reliable, friendly and efficient sums up this great approachable freight forwarding business.
Krishan Dhillon
2023-11-01
10/10, dealt with everything start to finish. Customer service was friendly and helpful
Sharmane Barrett
2023-10-20
We had a last minute request and Lee was fantastic in helping us to arrange transportation and facilitate delivery from Europe, very quickly with no hiccups. I would highly recommend.
Simon Edgecombe
2023-10-16
HAVING USED MANY SHIPPERS TO IMPORT OUR GOODS FROM THE USA (NONE OUTSTANDING) I DECIDED THIS TIME TO HAVE A SEARCH AROUND TO SEE IF I COULD FIND A BETTER OPTION. I FOUND BARRINGTON FREIGHT AFTER EMAILING MANY OTHERS, SOME OF THEM (UPS,DHL,FEDEX) SIMPLY TOOK SO LONG TO CONTACT ME, THAT IT BECAME STUPID, SIMON AT BARRINGTON CAME BACK TO ME VIRTUALLY STRAIGHT AWAY WITH A VERY GOOD PRICE, ALSO GOOD SHIPPING TIMES. NOW A SERVICE IS ONLY AS GOOD AS THE RESULTS, AND THEY WERE AS GOOD AS THEIR WORD. HAPPY TO HAVE FOUND THEM AND SIMON AT BARRINGTON FREIGHT WILL BE THE FIRST PERSON WE GO TO NEXT TIME, WELL DONE!!
Emir Danial
2023-09-26
Brilliant EXW freight forwarding services from China to the UK. Professionally done, readily available for support, and our shipments were trackable. There were last minute issues on regards to customs clearance and redirecting of goods that we take responsibility for, but with their quick action, we were able to swiftly solve it all in much less than 24hrs. Fantastic experience working with Simon and his team, will continue to engage them for the foreseeable future. Thanks again Simon and the BF team!
Tom Gilbey
2023-09-18
Barrington Freight was brilliant from start to finish. We had a very good shipping experience with them.
Dean Marsh
2023-09-09
What a superb company especially Simon Poole the agent who handled all my inquiries even worked over weekend to clear and arrange for my items to be removed from airline shed to save us storage charges Then when there were a little issue with the airline loosening items he dealt with it very quickly. We will only use him for our import Clearence’s now
Tilly H
2023-08-10
I highly recommend Barrington freight. Simon could not do enough for me and as a first time user of freight services I was anxious. Simon guided me smoothly through the whole process from start to finish. I am beyond pleased with the service I was given.
