ICCSL, SAC workshop on ATA Carnet on 23 June

ATA Carnet is a passport for international trade. It’s an export logistics tool for market expansion display, promotions, exhibits, etc.

It is used to clear Customs in 75 countries and territories without paying duties and import taxes on merchandise that will be re-exported.

Carnets are also known as Merchandise Passports or Passports for Goods History and administration.

The acronym ATA is a combination of French and English terms ‘Admission Temporaire/Temporary Admission’.

In 1961 the World Customs Organization (WCO), then known as the Customs Cooperation Council (CCC), adopted the Customs Convention on the ATA Carnet for the Temporary Admission of Goods (ATA Convention). More specific conventions for each type of applicable goods were subsequently worked out and agreed on by the CCC. Today, WCO administers the international conventions. In 1990, the Istanbul Convention was adopted; it combines the various conventions on the temporary admission of goods in one convention. As of 2013, there are 63 parties to the ATA Convention and 64 parties to the Istanbul Convention.

Jointly administered by the World Customs Organization (WCO) – www.wcoomd.org and the International Chamber of Commerce through its World Chambers Federation, the ATA Carnet is an international customs document that permits the tax-free and duty-free temporary export and import of goods for up to one year. The carnet eliminates the need to purchase temporary import bonds. So long as the goods are re-exported within the allotted time frame, no duties or taxes are due. Failure to re-export all or some of the goods listed on the carnet results in the payment of applicable duties and taxes. Failure to remit those duties results in a claim from the foreign customs service to the importer’s home country.

International Chamber of Commerce – ICC administers the international guarantee chain of national guaranteeing organisations. This chain provides reciprocal guarantees assuring member customs administrations that duties and taxes will be paid when claims arise.

The first time workshop on this subject is organised by International Chamber of Commerce Sri Lanka & Shippers’ Academy Colombo will be held at Taj Hotel Colombo on 23 June from 8:30 to 1:30 p.m.

Interested companies and organisations are requested to contact ICCSL Tel: 011 2307841/011 5230932; Fax: 011 2307841; E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; SAC: Tel: 0113560844/0773820703; Fax: 0112874065;

E-mail: [email protected].