ATA Carnet: 5 steps to obtaining this international customs document

As the International Chamber of Commerce points out, the ATA Carnet offers numerous advantages in terms of export taxation. However, it is not always easy to obtain this international customs document. Here are 5 key steps to help you obtain your ATA Carnet as quickly as possible.

#1 Know your goods

The ATA Carnet offers numerous advantages for anyone wishing to temporarily export certain goods – but you still need to know which ones!

There is no exhaustive list for benefiting from these simplified international customs formalities and reducing export costs (in particular through taxes and customs duties).

However, the following types of goods can be mentioned:

• goods for exhibitions, trade shows, fairs or conventions and other events;
• goods imported for humanitarian purposes;
• goods imported for cross-border trade purposes;
• commercial samples (to encourage orders);
• professional equipment under the Istanbul Convention;
• equipment for educational or scientific purposes;
• vehicles as a means of transport;
• animals…

#2 Specify your business transactions

Goods covered by the ATA Carnet are covered for various commercial transactions such as:

• temporary importation;
• temporary exportation;
• international transit (crossing several borders).

However, the ATA Carnet does not cover the import of goods for commercial purposes. In this case, you will need to pay the relevant customs duties.

Knowing the nature of your business operations abroad, as well as their itinerary, is therefore an important aspect to check if you wish to confirm your eligibility and make the most of your use of the ATA Carnet.

To this end, you can consult the list of countries that will accept the ATA Carnet.

They have all signed up to:

• either the 1961 Brussels ATA Convention;
• or the 1990 Istanbul Convention;
• or both.

#3 Contact the right person

Before contacting the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) relevant to your request via the SME Portal, it is advisable to familiarise yourself with the legislation currently in force for the ATA Carnet.

You will find the details of this in point 4.12 of Regulation 10.60, made available by the Federal Customs Administration (FCA).

Although issued by the CCIs, the ATA Carnet can be obtained via associations approved by the customs authorities and affiliated with the World Chambers Federation (WCF).

Services such as ATASwiss are thus provided by the CCIs and can handle your procedures for you, through the submission of a single form accessible online.

There are also other advantages to this method of transmission, such as:

• continuous availability of the service;
• access to all data relating to the carnet;
• immediate validation of all information provided.

To find out whether you have access to this service, ATASwiss provides a list of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry with which the service is a partner.

#4 Apply online

Although you can submit your application after receiving a paper form by post, a computer with an internet connection and a recognised browser (Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari or Internet Explorer) is all you need to access the online form, saving you valuable time.

Once you have opened an online account by providing your details, you will be asked for various additional pieces of information about the goods concerned:

• their list;
• their number;
• their weight;
• their origin;
• their description;
• their serial number;
• their commercial value;
• their trade designation.

In addition, the conditions of use of the ATA Carnet must be specified: for this reason, it is essential to know your export route in advance.

Good to know: The holder may make several return trips through the same territories.

It should be noted that certain products will be subject to health and phytosanitary checks. Other goods will be subject to examination to ensure compliance with the Washington Convention.

#5 Receiving your ATA Carnet

Once the application has been accepted, the sole holder of the ATA Carnet may collect it:

• either by post;
• or at the counter of the relevant CCI.

Although the holder (natural or legal person) must be unique, an authorised agent or carrier may replace them, provided they hold a certificate.

The customs document consists, in particular, of sheets in three colours:

• The white sheets for temporary admission and re-importation operations;
• The yellow sheets for temporary export and re-importation operations;
• The blue sheets for international transit operations.

The ATA Carnet remains valid for twelve months from the date of receipt and must be returned to the issuing CCI once the itinerary has been completed.

Obtaining an ATA Carnet can greatly simplify your procedures and reduce your costs when trading internationally. Always with the aim of improving your international processes, our mobile app will also help you simplify and optimise your foreign exchange operations.