AEO

What type of AEO licenses are there?

There are three types of Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) licences in the EU and U.K:

• Authorised Economic Operator – Customs Simplification (AEOC)

• Authorised Economic Operator – Security and Safety (AEOS)

• Authorised Economic Operator – Full C+S (AEOF) 

The type of license that you will need depends on how your business operates:

When they find irregularities or do not agree with certain classifications, you need to update your classification or file an objection against the Customs Authorities’ findings. When you use the wrong classification, the result can be that you pay too much or that you don’t pay enough import duties, this can affect your business. Read on, or contact one of our consultants to check you are risk-free in your Goods Classification today. 

AEO holders in the Netherlands are more likely to be allocated in green or yellow clearance lanes during the customs clearance process, whereas traders that do not have an AEO license, are more likely to be allocated the blue lane due to the increased risk of non-compliance.

As volumes of cargo shipments continue to grow in The Netherlands, strictly monitoring will be required on blue lane shipments to ensure that authorities are able to protect the EU from illegal shipments.

Compared to other EU countries, The Netherlands has the highest number of AEO certificates relative to the size of the country - Germany is 9 times larger, France is 13 times larger, and Italy is 7 times bigger than the Netherlands.

But, did you know that there is more than 1 type of AEO license, depending on how you trade?

In the European Union there are 2 types of AEO licences to apply for:

AEO stands for Authorised Economic Operator and is an internationally recognised quality mark indicating that your role within the international supply chain is secure and your procedures and customs controls are compliant and efficient. The EU implemented the AEO program in 2008 to ensure supply chain security and facilitate legitimate trade. It has since spread worldwide. With that kind of interest, there must be something to it.

AEO stands for Authorized Economic Operator. It is a concept that the EU established in 2008. The main goals are increasing international supply chain security and facilitating legitimate trade. It means that the company in question works in compliance with standards that are set out by the World Customs Organization. Authorised Economic Operators include, among others, manufacturers, importers, exporters, brokers, carriers, consolidators, intermediaries, ports, airports, terminal operators, integrated operators, warehouses and distributors.

We are an AEO Certified independent customs agent. Using an AEO Certified agent has many benefits, like fewer checks, fewer delays and fewer issues.

AEO Compliance Reassessed

In the Netherlands, it is the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration that certifies companies. To make sure companies keep the highest of standards when it comes to customs matters certified companies are periodically re-assessed.