AEO/UCC HMRC Updates 4th November 2015

Did you know?

If you hold an AEOC authorisation you are entitled to request a reduction in your duty deferment guarantee for customs duties (actual debt). The reduction available is 70%. 

There is no reduction available to businesses without an AEOC authorisation 

You are also entitled to request a waiver of the potential debt guarantees (covering Customs Duty and if applicable Import VAT if you hold Customs authorisations/approvals for example customs warehouse, inward processing, temporary storage), when/if that is appropriate to your business activities.

 These benefits are effective from 1 May 2016.

Reductions and waivers for potential debts are also available to businesses who do not hold an AEO authorisation but who would then need to meet some or all of the AEO c criteria

Certificates – under the UCC AEO becomes a Customs decision and there is no legislative requirement to issue a certificate. However, the EU Commission understands that the certificate is important to business to demonstrate their membership of the AEO programme and Member States will still issue a certificate.

Electronic communication – under the UCC all communication must be by an electronic method. HMRC will therefore not be able to accept paper applications from 1 May 2016 and all communications are intended to be via email unless there are exceptional circumstances. New digital services will be available over the next few years.