Customs Compliance

Health Check Service

Customs Compliance Audit and Health Check

Are you concerned that your business might not be fully compliant with customs laws?

Is your business keeping the appropriate records in case of a customs audit?

Ensuring Customs Compliance

Businesses that import and export are subject to higher levels of responsibility for ensuring compliance with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) regulations. To concentrate on non-compliant enterprises, HMRC conducts thorough audits of businesses in the hopes of classifying them as "compliant." The customs audit will be an examination of your accounts and other business records. The audit will verify the compliance of your business with the relevant legislation and HMRC requirements.

It all comes down to laying the proper business foundation for your import and export activities.

Are you maintaining accurate records?

Will HMRC be able to validate your business records against your customs declarations?

If HMRC identifies discrepancies within their audit of your business, they may increase the scope of the audit to include further customs declarations.

Customs Law and Penalties

HMRC states that they can inspect any documents about your business. This includes information held on computers or data storage devices. Your business must give HMRC any documents or information they ask for that relate to your business. If your business fails to give HMRC the information or documents asked for, HMRC may charge your business a penalty. HMRC has the right to remove any records. If HMRC removes any original records, they will provide your business with a receipt, keep the records secure, and return them to your business as soon as they can.

HMRC states that businesses may have to pay a penalty if they are found to have broken UK customs law on the import, export, and holding or processing of goods under customs supervision. This includes, but is not limited 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.

HMRC may carry out a criminal investigation with a view to prosecution if your business:

give them information that your business knows to be untrue, whether verbally or in a document
dishonestly declare the wrong amount of duty or claim payments to which your business is not entitled.

Customs Compliance Health Check

At ICS Global Services, we can perform a "health check" on your business to evaluate your current practises, identify necessary changes, and offer suggestions for potential improvements and duty/tax savings. Our health check is designed to assess your company's current and historical customs compliance to identify and address any risks that may lessen the possibility that HMRC will impose penalties.

We review several areas related to your importing and exporting activities, such as:

Import and Export Documentation
Record Keeping
Valuation of Goods
Commodity Codes
Reconciliation of Payments
Customs Procedures Codes
Special Regimes and Preference
Evidence of Export

Our Customs Compliance Health Check

For all new clients, we offer a complimentary 30-minute consultation during which we will discuss your customs operations, pinpoint areas for improvement, and help minimise the possible impact of any fines or penalties.

Our Customs Services

Customs Compliance Blogs

Read our Customs Compliance Blogs to appreciate how we have identified areas where our clients could reduce costs, increase efficiency, and comply with HMRC.

What Documents are Necessary for your Imports and Exports?

By Ian Simmonds • 02 May, 2022

Correct documentation is vital when importing or exporting, as inappropriate or overlooked documentation can lead to shipping delays, increased costs and business risks, such as cancelled international commercial activities.

The New Plastic Packaging Tax

By Ian Simmonds • 24 Mar, 2022

The new UK plastic packaging tax (PPT) will come into force on 1 April 2022 and will be charged at a rate of £200 per tonne. What are the considerations for Import, Export and Transport Teams?

Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Consultancy

By Ian Simmonds • 19 Mar, 2022

Many international trading companies are now insisting that all business partners within the international supply chain have Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) certification. AEO certification is globally recognised and demonstrates that your activities within the international supply chain are reliable, secure and fully compliant with customs control procedures.