New Facts About Customs Checks

HM Customs last week launched a new factsheet to support their customs compliance checks, which is a good guide for importers and exporters of the process.

Customs carry out checks into returns or other documents to make sure that businesses pay the right amount of tax at the right time and receive the right allowances and tax reliefs. These audits are now called ‘compliance checks’.

Compliance checks can be carried out over the phone, although if they do call you, you may then decide that you want them to write to you instead. Some types of check can only be done within a certain time limit and the officer dealing with the check can explain these time limits to you.

In the result of Customs discovering any errors, they may extend the check, and then take a closer look at earlier periods. They may ask to see records or evidence of accounts, bank records, import and export paperwork, contracts, good specifications or other business documents.

While this guide is useful, it may help to have an expert involved should you be notified of a compliance check, and Customs Insights are always available to provide this service for clients.

Unfortunately, many importers and exporters are not proactive in ensuring compliancy with their customs formalities until a check has been initiated by customs, which can lead to heavy penalties when UK or EU law has been broken.

Penalties can be incurred due to:

• infringements of customs regulations
• failure to comply with any customs-related approval, authorisation, registration or licence
• misdeclarations
• failure to comply with a customs procedure
• failure to produce information
• failure to keep records
• inaccurate returns or documents
• unauthorised removal of goods from customs supervision

Customs Insights provide health checks for clients wanting to avoid customs penalties. Our team of experts will assess your current customs health, provide audits, suggest remedial action and where required – manage those actions.

For more information on Customs Insights consultancy services, or to discuss any customs related matters, please call 01304 211652, or email enquiries@customsinsights.co.uk