News

Who are you?

I’m Tom Edwards, the UK import operations manager, and I am based in the Felixstowe office.

Tell us about your memorable customs clearances in Ireland

All Together Now: supporting Waterford’s music festival

We’ve completed thousands of customs clearances in Ireland, but it was nice to support those involved with the All Together Now festival – which is on the doorstep of Customs Support Waterford.

What health risks are there in transporting peanuts?

Depending on where your peanuts are imported from, there is a risk of contamination by aflatoxins. These are a family of fungi that grow in warm and wet conditions, as is common in countries which grow peanuts.

If your shipment of peanuts has been contaminated, then the journey overseas creates the ideal conditions for the aflatoxins to grow.

What is an origin statement?

Origin statements are clauses on paperwork which confirm to importers and authorities where the goods have originated from. Typically, you can find origin statements on the commercial invoice for an individual shipment, but you can also find it on trade certificates which can apply to more than one consignment.

The European Union and The United Kingdom

Last month's biggest news was the Northern Ireland trade deal between the European Union and the United Kingdom. The border situation between Northern Ireland and Ireland is delicate, and both parties wanted to ensure no hard border crossings were necessary.

Reuters gives an overview of the main points in the agreement:

What is meant by “export controls” and why are they important?

Export controls refers to the supervision of dual-use and military goods. “Dual use” refers to goods, software, and technology that is used for civilian purposes, but could also benefit military or terrorist organisations.

Who are you?

Why was the Northern Ireland Protocol created?

The NI Protocol created a sea border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. This keeps Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland within the same customs territory.

The reason for this is to prevent a land border being created between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, due to the historical conflict between the two countries.

What is the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean (PEM) agreement?

The Pan-Euro-Mediterranean (PEM) convention aims to increase trade between the European Union and other countries who are entered into the PEM partnership by making the rules of origin more flexible and business-friendly.

What is the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)?

The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is an initiative in the European Union that is designed to combat “carbon leakage”. This is the term given to manufacturing emissions that are released outside of the European Union.