Importing goods from outside the UK? Advice on UK imports

Importing goods into the UK from other countries is very similar to exporting from the UK: no matter where you are sending goods to or from, your package will need to be clearly labelled with the Air Waybill of your chosen carrier, and all shipments between the UK and non-EU countries will require a Customs Invoice and be subject to customs clearance. Importing from a non-EU country can be even simpler than exporting to one, because with imports you will be subject to taxes and duties applied by UK Customs Authorities, and it can be easier to familiarise yourself with these and anticipate any applicable charges. 

Follow our top three tips on importing into the UK to ensure your deliveries run smoothly:

1- Use a quality courier service 

Large, international and well-established door-to-door couriers such as DHL and TNT Express have decades of experience with imports and can therefore guarantee you the best possible delivery service along with good customs expertise. Resellers such as Transglobal Express offer DHL and TNT Express Import services at significantly reduced prices, so SMEs can benefit from great import rates without compromising on quality. You can get a quote and compare discounted rates via our website.

2- Maintain good communication with your collection point

Remember, you have less control over imports than exports because you are dependent upon your collection point to ensure that collection runs smoothly and your consignment can start making its way to you. When you book an import service via Transglobal Express, you can select a collection day yourself, but its a good idea to liaise with your collection point to check they will be available. Your collection point will also receive all of the delivery documentation, as it will be him or her who will need to attach the shipping labels to your consignment. Make sure you keep communications channels with your collection point to ensure that they do this on time. As soon as we receive confirmation of collection, your shipment will be fully trackable via our website. 

3- Do your homework!

This applies to exports as well as imports - it's never a bad idea to bone up on the latest regulations and customs restrictions of the two countries between which your goods are moving. The customs website of the respective nations is the best place to start, and the HMRC website is a great resource. Don't forget that, when exporting, most shipments are delivered DDU (delivered duty unpaid), meaning that the receiver is liable for all customs clearance charges and related taxes and levies. With importing, you are the receiver, so you will be liable for all charges. It's a good idea to do some research in advance so you can anticipate charges rather than being liable for hefty customs fees before they are released to you!

Australia fights customs corruption

If you send parcels to Australia regularly, you may remember that the discovery of allegedly corrupt customs officers at Sydney airport led to the arrest of four personnel last year. Australian minister for Justice Jason Clare subsequently set up a customs reform board, which published a report outlining recommendations for improvements to the customs service. The report states that, with air cargo traffic shipments expected to rise from 29 million to a massive 95 million a year by 2017, there is an increasing threat of "serious, organised criminals attempting to infiltrate our border agencies and corrupt our officers".

Sydney Customs House

The government have proposed a number of measures in response comprising, changes to employees' terms and conditions, increased partnership working and better use of technology and electronic information. The proposed strategies so far include:

• fixed periods of employment for customs personnel
• a tightening up of the policy relating to second jobs
• working with airlines and forwarders to expedite clearance procedures for trusted and compliant clients
• full electronic data reporting for all Australian imports and exports
• direct access to logistics companies' databases for streamlined shipment and customer profiling. 

The announcements by the Australian government coincide with the publication of one of the largest and farthest reaching public opinion surveys into corruption. the According to the survey carried out by Berlin-based watchdog Transparency International, over 50% of people think corruption has worsened in the last two years. Of the 114,000 participants in 107 countries, 27% said they have paid a bribe when accessing public services in the last 12 months. 

Mexico and the US to share a customs facility

Are multinational customs facilities the way of the future? It seems counter-intuitive, but we may be forgiven for thinking so, if the new initiative pioneered by airport executives at Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport is anything to go by. From October this year, the Texan town and its Mexican neighbour Metamoros are set to share use of a dual customs hangar.

The Tijuana-Mexico border 

The $2.4 million development is currently under construction and is intended to decrease transit times within the US: once both Mexican and US customs have processed shipments in a single hangar, the shipment becomes domestic and can be delivered anywhere within the States. Given that air freight services are often employed for the most time-sensitive of shipments, this will surely be welcome news for Mexican exporters and US importers. 

Michael Jones, Business Development Manager at Brownsville, hopes it will make his airport stand out to shippers: "at any other US airport, you would have to go to one of the six designated airports in Mexico and wait there to clear customs, and that could be a process of two or three days, even a week," he commented.

Jones went on the state that this type of service was likely to grow as word of its availability spreads. While currently only a co-location exercise, the implications for the future of customs authorities are worth some thought: could the growth of such a trend encourage more bi-lateral trade agreements; would dual customs anyways privilege one domestic market over another; is this a service likely to remain particular to air freight services across the Atlantic? Let us know your thoughts!

Contending with customs: advice for people new to exporting

Exporting your goods overseas can seem a daunting experience. It can be difficult to determine which regulations apply to you and which forms are applicable to your business - never mind how to fill them in!  Generally speaking, trade within the EU tends to be a simpler process, but if you're thinking of making the leap and expanding your sales beyond the European Community we have some customs tips and advice for you.

1. Inform your customer of the potential costs of Customs Clearance in advance

Typically, the receiver will be liable to pay any charges associated with Customs Clearance before your goods are released for delivery. This is called DDU (delivered duty unpaid) shipping. Most seasoned shippers are well aware of this but it's a good idea to make sure your customer knows of potential customs charges in advance- the last thing you want to do is give your customer a shock before they have even received your goods! Alternatively, if you'd prefer to pay the charges yourself, you can always opt for a DDP (delivered duty paid) service when booking UPS, DHL and TNT services through Transglobal Express. Such a service bills all charges back to you, the exporter, and usually entails a small fee. 

2. Research country-specific regulations

As well as familiarising yourself with general restrictions imposed by all major carriers, you also need to check the restrictions for your particular export country.  Restrictions can vary a lot depending on the policies and priorities of different governments, and there are also some historic and sometimes very strange trade restrictions, so you should always double-check with the relevant customs authority before implementing your export strategy. Want to send plastic flowers to Nigeria or toothbrushes to Algeria? Believe it or not, customs law prohibits the import of such items! Want to send tents to Jordan? You need a license first! The best advice? Always check! 

The best place to start when carrying our your research is the customs website of the relevant country: countries publish detailed lists of restrictions on their webpages. Customs Forum is another useful website where you can ask questions and advice of other exporters.

3. Choose the right delivery service

UPS, DHL, FedEx and TNT Express - the largest global carriers - tend to take care of customs clearance on behalf of the shipper. If you book with a reseller such as Transglobal  Express, you can enjoy the expertise and excellent international networks of these brands at highly reduced rates. But equally importantly, you can benefit from our own expertise developed from over 20 years experience in the industry. Given the fact that Transglobal ship to over 220 destinations worldwide, using a variety of the biggest and best carriers, we are unable to give definitive advice on specific customs policies, but we do know where to direct you if you need any further advice, and we are always willing to help wherever we can - personal service can make all the difference when trying to navigate what is often a daunting collection of rules and regulations!

Do you have any general customs advice to share with other exporters? Let us know and we'll publish it here- happy shipping!

Bizarre Canadian customs regulations and prohibited items

Here is what you need to know about Canadian customs. Do not be fooled if you thought the USA had strict regulations regarding prohibited items. Remember to contact the Canadian customs office before you send a parcel to Canada and are unsure if it may be restricted or forbidden items.

When reading through Canada’s prohibited items list, you might find that it starts out simple but the further you read the more bizarre its gets.

 

Section 1 - guns and firearms which could cause serious injuries.

The listed items include firearms of all types, replicas of weapons, toys guns, bows and cross bows as well as slingshots and harpoons. All of these items can obviously be dangerous and therefore are considered “prohibited”.

Beyond that, no goods manufactured in prison labour are allowed into Canadian territory.

 

 

Let’s continue with Section 2…

This part refers to devices with stun or immobilising effects including chemicals, sprays, animal stunners and shocking devices.

 

 

Next up are sharp objects (Section 3).

Canada experiences a rather rough climate in winter. However, this should not motivate you to pack snow tools such as ice axes or picks. If needed, surely you will be able to buy them in Canada, but it is best not to send them with your parcels.

 

The same applies to swords and martial arts gear.

Do not hide them in your parcels. Canadian customs as well as all big couriers are likely to x-ray your consignments for dangerous contents. If you still wish to ship your martial arts gear to Canada, you may want to speak with your local training studio as well as Canadian customs to see if there is a special service which could deliver it.

 

 

 

Following Section 3, is Section 4 – work tools which could cause serious harm.

It is rather straight forward. Do not send any crowbars, hammers, drills, bolt guns, saws etc.

 

 

As for bizarre objects Section 5 – blunt objects – and Section 7 - Liquids - outperform everything else.

Golf and hockey players may be disappointed about this one, but according to Canadian customs is not possible to import golf clubs or hockey and lacrosse sticks to Canada. After all, one could injure somebody else with them. 

 

On the other hand, be advised not to send any containers with breast milk or milk formula to Canada which are bigger than 100 ml / 100 g. Generally speaking, no liquids, aerosols or gels are allowed to be imported. This includes baby milk, juice or foods for infants.

 

 

Explosives and Incendiary substances

Lastly, and most commonly known, Canadian customs law forbids to ship any explosives or incendiary substances to the border. This also includes fireworks.

Finally.

Always remember to check back with the full list of prohibited items before sending your parcels to Canada, no matter if sent by courier or postal mail and potentially risking problems with customs.

Source: Transport Canada