AEO – What is it?

There is a popular acceptance that being AEO certified is a good thing, but not everybody understands exactly what AEO is….

The AEO concept is based on the Customs-to-Business partnership introduced by the World Customs Organisation (WCO). Traders who voluntarily meet a wide range of criteria work in close cooperation with customs authorities to assure the common objective of supply chain security and are entitled to enjoy benefits throughout the EU.

The EU established its AEO concept based on the internationally recognised standards, creating a legal basis for it in 2008 through the ‘security amendments’ to the “Community Customs Code” (CCC) and its implementing provisions.

The programme, which aims to enhance international supply chain security and to facilitate legitimate trade, is open to all supply chain actors. It covers economic operators authorised for customs simplification (AEOC), security and safety (AEOS) or a combination of the two.

On the basis of Article 39 of the Union Customs Code (UCC), the AEO status can be granted to any economic operator meeting the following common criteria:

The AEO status granted by one Member State is recognised by the customs authorities in all Member States (Article 38 (4) UCC).

 AEO Benefits

AEO benefits are an integral part of the EU legislation governing the AEO status. The AEO benefits, dependant on the type of the authorisation, are summarised in the table below:

Customs Insights offer a full range of support and compliance services for specialist regimes, including AEO. Our expertise in these regimes enables us to efficiently and effectively manage the application or ongoing process for you.

To find out more about how Customs Insights, and how we can add value to your supply chain, then please call 01304 211652 or email enquiries@customsinsights.co.uk.