Thought I'd drop this one into the blog. If you're a UK importer, you have responsibilities to HMRC as the importer. 99% of UK importers will use a freight forwarder or Customs clearance agent to get their air and ocean shipments cleared through Customs so they can take delivery and either get it into production, or out to their customers - job done!
Just a word of advice. When you use a freight forwarder to carry out the Customs clearance for you, they're (99 times out of a 100) acting as a Direct Representative. So what the heck is that? It means that although they declare the goods to Customs and sign the Customs Entry (C88), you're liable as the importer for the accuracy of the entry.
That means some fundamental things such as:-
1 - Correct tariff classification (which affects the duty rate payable)
2 - Correct value declaration
3 - Correct currency code
4 - Declaration of marine insurance (dutiable)
5- Declaration of correct freight charges (dutiable)
6 - Correct/appropriate Customs regime (home use/IPR/OPR)
7 - Value declaration (is the value on suppliers invoice correct)
8 - Application of any duty concession which may be applicable
There are others too but these are the main ones.
HMRC have issued leaflets to remind customers of their responsibilities in this area (see below photo) however they're not well publicised and the wording inside may be confusing to the average UK importer (who has most likely never completed a Customs entry in their life!).
We carry out Customs Compliance work for many of our import customers so they know they're compliant, they're paying the right amount of duty, the correct tariff codes are being applied for the different products they import and they're taking advantage of any Customs duty reliefs which are available. The other big benefit is the obvious one - peace of mind, it's being managed, if we get a Customs visit, we can show we carry out a compliance process to ensure any errors are picked up and corrected.
http://www.straightforwardconsultancy.co.uk/
This was how we uncovered a £ 26,000 duty overpayment for a Warrington customer earlier this year, importing catering equipment from the US. The mistake went back 7 years but we can only reclaim 3 years worth of overpaid duty (127 Customs entries).
Please let us know if you need any advice regarding compliance as well as any general freight or logistics advice it's what we do (and what we're really good at).
Kind Regards
Andy
Good afternoon All
It seems that the EU have finally decided to act on concerns in the European logistics marketplace that ocean carriers have been colluding regarding the level of General Rate Increases (GRIs).
I think this is long overdue, because many would agree that these increases seem to be timed to take effect on the same dates and at remarkably similar levels. An example would be the November 2013 GRI from Asia to Europe, where the increases were all in the USD 950-1000/TEU (20 foot equivalent unit) and previous increases over the past 2 years have followed a similar vein.
It will be more than interesting to see how this evolves and also, how the lines handle the latest proposed increase of around USD 750/TEU due to be implemented from Dec 1st. It will be a really interesting one to watch!
See below link.
http://theloadstar.co.uk/ec-opens-formal-container-shipping-antitrust-investigation/
Kind Regards
Andy
Andy Cliff
Director
Straightforward Consultancy Ltd
4, Beckett Drive
Winwick Park
Warrington
Cheshire
WA2 8XJ
Tel : 07934 443492
Email : andy@straightforwardconsultancy.co.uk
Web : www.straightforwardconsultancy.co.uk
Blog : http://straightforwardconsultancy.blogspot.co.uk/
Twitter: @AndyCliffSCL
Linkedin: http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/andy-cliff/1a/43/72
Skype: andy.cliff1@skype.com
Good afternoon All
We're just recovering from the November GRI of USD 1000/TEU (20 foot container) and now several carriers are lining up for a USD 750/TEU increase for December....clearly they're trying to keep rates up until the next peak in demand - the run up to Chinese New Year 2013 (Jan 31, 2014).
Mind you, we did negotiate very a low GRI for November and I'm sure we can do it again - the question is - are you in control of your ocean freight costs from Asia? Do you even know what your rates are for November sailings?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekQ_Ja02gTY
http://theloadstar.co.uk/turbulent-waters-ahead-as-lines-float-new-gri-in-bid-to-balance-supply-and-demand/
Andy Cliff
Director
Straightforward Consultancy Ltd
4, Beckett Drive
Winwick Park
Warrington
Cheshire
WA2 8XJ
Tel : 07934 443492
Email : andy@straightforwardconsultancy.co.uk
Web : www.straightforwardconsultancy.co.uk
Blog : http://straightforwardconsultancy.blogspot.co.uk/
Twitter: @AndyCliffSCL
Linkedin: http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/andy-cliff/1a/43/72
Skype: andy.cliff1@skype.com
Good afternoon All
We've posted twice on this disaster and I've just picked up on some recent news after MOL inspected MOL Comfort's sister ships - very worrying indeed.
http://theloadstar.co.uk/mol-comfort-sister-ships-had-deformed-hulls-reveals-probe-into-boxship-disaster/
Kind Regards
Andy
Andy
Andy Cliff
Director
Straightforward Consultancy Ltd
4, Beckett Drive
Winwick Park
Warrington
Cheshire
WA2 8XJ
Tel : 07934 443492
Email : andy@straightforwardconsultancy.co.uk
Web : www.straightforwardconsultancy.co.uk
Blog : http://straightforwardconsultancy.blogspot.co.uk/
Twitter: @AndyCliffSCL
Linkedin: http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/andy-cliff/1a/43/72
Skype: andy.cliff1@skype.com
Good afternoon All
One event you really should put in your diary is IFB 2014, an international business festival with government backing and involvement from key organisations such as UKTI, the CBI, British Chambers of Commerce, The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and the Engineering Employers Federation (EEF)
I have today had a conference call with a lady from Liverpool Vision to ask how we at Straightforward Consultancy can play our part and of course how we might benefit from our involvement. Clearly, this is going to be a huge event next Jun/Jul and Liverpool Vision, who are organising the event are incredibly excited about it. Great news for Great Britain and the North!
http://www.ifb2014.com/
www.straightforwardconsultancy.co.uk"IFB 2014 - For businesses that want to go faster, reach new horizons, want results and want them now.
IFB 2014 will accelerate UK economic growth with an ambitious programme of global business events running throughout June and July 2014. The result of an exciting convergence between innovative thinking, government policy and will to win, IFB 2014 will connect the smartest entrepreneurial minds and best business opportunities in the world.
IFB will deliver:
- Over one hundred events throughout June and July 2014
- An engaged audience of 250,000 business professionals
- Global representation
- £100m direct investment into the UK
- A catalyst to double UK exports by 2020
- At every level the Festival will attract an audience of pioneers from the UK and across the world
Good afternoon All
Just keeping you all in the loop regarding the massive rate increases which hit the market on November 1st. As you know they were announced at USD 925-USD 1000 per TEU (Twenty Foot Equivalent Unit) so if you are importing 40s, the increase would be double that!
Based on the market data we saw on Monday 4th Nov, we learned how much of the rate increase was actually accepted by the market and it was an eye watering USD 753/TEU (USD 1500/40ft container).
For our existing clients, who benefit from our collective buying power, we negotiated a very modest increase on our already competitive rates. What's interesting is that often, these increases fall away after a week however not the case so far. On Monday we saw that the increase was still sticking at around USD 650/20ft or USD 1300/40ft.
Please do take action on this, you really could be paying a great deal more than necessary and not getting such a great service either. As always happy to help, please join our band of extremely satisfied customers (see wesbite or Linkedin for details).
Kind Regards
Andy Cliff
Director
Straightforward Consultancy Ltd
4, Beckett Drive
Winwick Park
Warrington
Cheshire
WA2 8XJ
Tel : 07934 443492
Email : andy@straightforwardconsultancy.co.uk
Web : www.straightforwardconsultancy.co.uk
Blog : http://straightforwardconsultancy.blogspot.co.uk/
Twitter: @AndyCliffSCL
Linkedin: http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/andy-cliff/1a/43/72
Skype: andy.cliff1@skype.com
