Import and Export
Consulting Services
Professional Import and Export Consulting Services
Import and Export Guidance
Global trade is a challenging and rapidly evolving business environment with many risks, but it also offers enormous opportunities for those who navigate it correctly with the help of an import and export advisor. Making sense of complicated import and export regulations can be time-consuming and very costly when businesses get it wrong. Our import and export consulting can guide your business through every aspect of importing and exporting, making sure that your business is structured to maximise the benefits of international trade.
Ian Simmonds provides flexible professional export and import consulting services to reduce costs, optimise international supply chains, and ensure compliance with customs regulations.
Import and Export Advisory Services
Classifying Goods for Customs Clearance
For customs purposes, you must classify the items that you import or export into or out of the United Kingdom, the European Union, or any other country. Each product is assigned a unique tariff/commodity code. This classification code determines the amount of customs duty you will be required to pay on imported goods. Inaccurately categorising your products may cause delays in the customs clearance procedure or products being held by the customs authorities at the border. This could also lead to increased duties and even fines and penalties being applied.
Our import and export consulting service will help with classifying your goods.
Import and Export Documentation
When shipping goods, having the appropriate documentation in place is essential, regardless of whether you are importing or exporting. Inaccurate or missing paperwork can cause extra expenses and delays, or even stop a shipment from entering or leaving the port. Knowing what paperwork is necessary is essential if you are managing an import-export business. It is your responsibility to ensure that the appropriate paperwork is ready and available upon request, regardless of whether you work with a freight forwarder or a customs clearance agent.
Our import and export consulting services will help you avoid any shipping delays and customs penalties due to incorrect documentation.
Customs Special Procedures and Preferences
These can help postpone or lessen your duty liability, but using them requires authorization and adherence to certain guidelines. These are a few examples:
- When storing your products in a customs warehouse, you can postpone paying duties until you either transfer them to another customs process or put them in free circulation for sale. However, if you export the imported products, you may not have to pay any duty at all.
- If you need to temporarily return previously exported items to the UK for maintenance, repair, or integration into another product, you may want to consider using the Inward Processing procedure to avoid duty payments.
- If you are importing from eligible origin countries and are not exceeding any quotas, preference schemes like the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) or free trade agreements can save you a significant amount of duty.
Our specialist import and export advisory services can help your business manage duty liabilities.
Customs Clearance Process
Prior to the import or export of products to another country, customs clearance must be completed. Having documentation that correctly describes the products, commodity code, units, price, weight, and the origin or destination country is a crucial step in the clearance process. During the clearance process, a customs officer will verify that the documentation for the shipment is correct and that duties, taxes, and other fees have been correctly assessed. Documents that are missing or incorrect can increase risks, cause delays and additional expenses, or prevent cargo from leaving the port of entry or departure.
Once customs duties and taxes have been assessed and the method for payment has been agreed upon, the shipment is released for delivery to the destination.
Our import and export consulting services can guide you through the end-to-end customs clearance process, ensuring that your business is fully compliant with customs regulations.
Import and Export Advisor
As an independent import and export advisor, I can steer you through every aspect of importing and exporting, making sure you have accurate and up-to-date business support. My import and export consulting services will provide you with all the import and export assistance you will need. As an import and export advisor, I can advise your business on a variety of different subjects, such as:
- Import and Export Procedures
- Authorised Economic Operators (AEO)
- Post-Brexit Solutions
- Incoterms 2020 Rules
- Import / Export Licence Controls
- Classifying Goods Correctly
- Customs Clearance and Customs Valuation
- Marine Cargo Insurance Claims
- Rules of Origin (preference and non-preference)
- Customs Special Procedures
- Duty and Tax Payments
- Customs Declaration Service (CDS)
- Postponed VAT Accounting (PVA)
Customer Case Studies
Read my representative case studies to see how my import and export consulting has enabled me to work side-by-side with clients to tackle different import and export challenges. As an import and export advisor, I ensured that an appropriate solution was identified, developed, and implemented to maximise import and export business opportunities.
Endorsements
During Ian's ongoing assignment with us, which still hasn't come fully to an end, he has been a pleasure to work with, been really professional, and has provided valuable trade, compliance, and import knowledge. Throughout our entire process, Ian has been an absolute pleasure to work with. I would personally highly recommend Ian's services.
Senior Director International Expansion
Global Technology Company
"Ian is an experienced and skilled International Trade Consultant who has demonstrated excellent and extensive knowledge of EU import and export compliance and control procedures. During the challenges of Brexit, Ian provided excellent direction and support for our business."
Operations Director
Shoe and Footwear Retailer
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