On the 31st March 2023, HMRC will close its Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF) system. Following this all businesses will be required to declare goods through the Customs Declaration Service (CDS). However, prior to its full closure, CHIEF will be withdrawn in two stages, meaning the countdown is on for businesses to get to grips with the new system.
The withdrawal of CHIEF
The two stages in which CHIEF will be withdrawn are as follows:
> 30th September 2022 – all import declarations will cease on CHIEF
> 31st March 2023 – all export declarations will close on CHIEF / National Exports System (NES)
The Customs Declaration Service (CDS)
Introduced in 2018, CDS is currently used for Northern Ireland and Rest of World declarations, and since its launch has processed over one million declarations.
The system was developed in consultation with the border industry to ensure a stable and secure platform that is able to grow alongside the government’s trade plans. Furthermore, moving to one system for both imports and exports will result in savings for tax payers throughout the UK.
Here are some essentials that CDS will require:
> Registration to use CDS
> A valid EORI registration
> For those with a deferment account, a new Direct Debit will be set up with HMRC
> A Customs Comprehensive Guarantee number (CCG)
> When working with Grace Overseas, authorisation should be provided for us to use your account on declarations through the Government Gateway account (under deferment options)
A detailed look at these forthcoming changes can be found on the Government website here.
Having used CDS for a number of years now, the Grace Overseas team are expertly placed to support our clients in becoming accustomed to this new system to ensure compliance. If you have any questions on importing and exporting, please contact the team today to find out more about our services and how we can support you.
