ATA Carnet Service

Our sister company, Dynamic Dox provide a specialist ATA Carnet service, covering all industry sectors and destinations worldwide. You can visit their website, including an in depth information section at ATA Carnet UK.

ATA Carnet Processing From 1st January 2021

Should you be travelling via The Port of Dover, or Eurotunnel, please see where to have your carnet processed and other details.

For the Port Of Holyhead, there are also new arrangements.

ATA Carnets – Film & TV Production

As dedicated logistics providers to the film and TV industry, we often look after their ATA Carnet needs directly. Our understanding of the sector adds to the skills Dynamic Dox provide.

We may be managing your freight needs anyway. If not, we will need to know where and when you are going, for how long and have a list of the goods, or equipment you are taking.

ATA carnets for film and TV productions can be arranged for a date to suit, or in most cases supplied same day, to cover urgent need. By all means get in touch with us, you may also like to look through the information below.

What is a Carnet?

An ATA Carnet is an internationally recognised customs document, which permits duty and tax free, temporary import of goods for up to one year. ATA Carnets also serve as the registration of goods in the UK upon re-importation.

The carnet bypasses the time consuming task of completing numerous customs documents for each country to be visited. An ATA Carnet also provides a financial guarantee to foreign customs officials that, in the event goods are not re-exported, duties and taxes will be paid.

What are the advantages of using an ATA Carnet?

• ATA Carnets cut costs to exporters by eliminating value added tax (VAT) and customs duties.
• Carnet holders are not required to post securities with customs.
• Carnets simplify customs border crossing and cut red tape, by allowing importers, or exporters to use a single document for all customs formalities.

Armed with an ATA Carnet, film & TV producers, or other business travellers can:

• Make advance customs arrangements at predetermined cost.
• Visit more than one country using the same documentation.
• Use their ATA Carnet for several trips during the one year validity period.
• Return to their home country with their goods and not have to account for VAT.

What kinds of goods are covered?

Virtually all goods that are “tools of the trade” are covered by ATA Carnets, in three broad categories:

• Commercial samples.
• Professional equipment (which is solely for use by, or under the personal supervision of the holder, or their nominated representative).
• Goods for presentations, or use at trade fairs, shows, exhibitions and similar events.

This means almost anything, computers, tools, photographic and film equipment, musical instruments, industrial machinery, vehicles, jewellery, clothing, medical appliances, race horses, old masters, sound systems, or aircraft.

What goods are not covered?

Merchandise that does not qualify as “tools of the trade” is not generally eligible for cover. ATA Carnets can not be used for the following scenarios:

• Goods to be sold or hired out abroad for financial gain.
• Perishable or consumable items (as they would not normally be re-exported).
• Goods which are temporarily exported for processing or repair.
• Goods on which a CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) refund will be claimed.
• Goods used as a means of transport.
• The exportation of unaccompanied goods by post.
• Foreign goods temporarily imported into the EU under a Customs Temporary Concession.
• Equipment to be used for the construction, repair or maintenance of buildings, or for earthmoving, or similar.

Who can apply for and use a Carnet?

• ATA Carnets are available to businesses, sales representatives, exhibitors at trade fairs, or any travelling professionals, such as TV & film crews, architects, artists, engineers, entertainers, photographers, sports teams.
• A carnet may be issued to a company, or individuals who are permanent UK residents.
• The carnet may be used by anyone, providing the user has a letter from the named holder authorising such use. The holder may also allow an agent to handle the carnet through customs on his behalf, providing the agent holds a Letter of Authority. In either case, the carnet must state that it can be used by ‘Any authorised representative’.

How long is needed to obtain an ATA Carnet?

• We normally process applications and deliver completed carnets within 24/48 hours.
• An express service is also available, to meet urgent need.

How much does an ATA Carnet cost?

• Fees vary according to the value of the goods, the number of countries to be visited, plus any additional costs for security, insurance, or other services. Fees will always be a small fraction of the value of the goods covered by the carnet.
• Once you submit your application, we will contact you to discuss details and costs.

What information do we require?

Apart from your company details, here is what we need:

• Purpose for which your merchandise or equipment is being temporarily imported to another country (e.g. exhibition, professional use, commercial samples etc).
• Name(s) of individual(s) responsible for carnet documents while travelling.
• Your full travel itinerary (transit and destination countries).
• Full list of merchandise or equipment you are taking. This should include model and serial numbers if applicable, the number of items and their values.
• The desired date of delivery of your carnet document.

Can I add extra items to the Carnet list?

No. Once a carnet has been issued, no extra items can be added to the list of goods.

How long is the ATA Carnet valid?

The ATA Carnet is valid for up to one year from date of issue. During this period, the carnet may be used for an unlimited number of exits and entries into member countries. The ATA Carnet will only cover goods that are returned to the UK within 12 months.

Can I extend the validity of a Carnet?

Not as such but we can normally arrange for a new (replacement) carnet. This will bring an additional fee and is subject to the (written) agreement of customs authorities of the country in question.

What if the ATA Carnet has expired?

Although no penalties or duties will be assessed by the UK, an overseas government may assess penalties, if the carnet expires before the equipment is re-exported from that country.

What happens if I lose my Carnet?

We can prepare a substitute carnet to match the original, an additional fee will apply. Alternatively, goods covered by the lost, or stolen carnet can be entered to temporary importation.

Under what circumstances might a claim be filed?

A claim consists of a notice issued by the customs authority of an overseas country, where there is no record that merchandise was re-exported. Examples of this would be:

• Where the carnet vouchers have not been properly validated, by either UK or foreign customs.
• Where goods and/or the carnet have been lost, stolen, or destroyed.
• Where there is an improper, or inadequate description of the merchandise on the general list.
• Where goods have not been re-exported in a timely fashion.

What is in an ATA Carnet document?

The carnet document has a green cover page, which provides the names of the carnet holder, the issuing association, dates of issue and expiry, the carnet number, the countries in which the carnet may be used. A complete description of the goods covered is printed on the reverse.

This is followed by colour coded pairs of vouchers, for each customs frontier, or border to be crossed. Yellow for the country of departure and return (usually the UK or other EU country) white for overseas customs and blue for transit only. The number of pages of each type is determined at the time of issue of the carnet, based on your planned itinerary.

Each sheet is accompanied by a corresponding counterfoil, which remains in the carnet and describes the actions taken by customs officers each time goods enter, or leave a country. The actual page is detached and retained by the customs authority.

Information from the front cover (including the list of goods) is repeated on each voucher, or page.

How does the ATA Carnet system work?

The ATA Carnet is an international customs document, for presentation to customs at each overseas country you wish to visit. The carnet is reviewed for completeness and accuracy, your goods are examined to ensure they match the carnet list.

The carnet user, or their agent, is responsible for presenting the ATA Carnet to customs when entering, or leaving a country, so that the necessary verification and certification can take place. Failure to do so may result in a claim being made.

A claim is a notice from customs authorities in the country of import, that a violation of the carnet system has occurred and payment of duties, taxes, or penalties are required. These are payable on demand, under the terms of the associated bond, or guarantee.

How did the ATA Carnet system start?

In December 1961, to facilitate international trade, the Customs Cooperation Council, now known as the World Customs Organisation (WCO) adopted the “Customs Convention on the ATA Carnet for the Temporary Admission of Goods”. The purposes was to reduce obstacles caused by varying national regulations.

Each country in the system has a single guaranteeing body, approved by their national customs authorities and the ICC World Chambers Federation. The World Customs Organisation (WCO) administers the international customs conventions under which the ATA Carnet system operates.

Within the ICC World Chambers Federation, the World ATA Carnet Council (WATAC) runs the ATA system and the international guarantee chain. The Council is made up of representatives from countries and territories where carnets are issued, or accepted.

The ATA international guarantee chain provides reciprocal guarantees, assuring customs bodies that duties and taxes due in case of misuse will be paid. For example, the sale instead of re-export of your goods.

Over the past 40 years, the Carnet System has spread from a few European countries to most of the industrialised world and a growing number of emerging economies.

This is helpful to all businesses and particularly so to the film and TV industry, serving a wide variety of locations. If you need an ATA Carnet for film, or TV production, please talk to us and we will match your exact needs.