BDO and Fexco have introduced a new customs clearance service to assist firms that will face a deluge of unfamiliar paperwork to comply with customs requirements after Brexit.
The service, called Declaron, comes via an online portal and has been designed to ensure customers will be compliant with new customs rules, avoiding potential delays and costs at borders, according to the two firms.
BDO partner Carol Lynch explained: “Since mid-last year it has been clear that there was going to be a serious problem facing importers and exporters due to a lack of clearance agents. The increase in declarations that will be required post-Brexit goes from 1.6 million to 20 million declarations. This is going to cause a serious operating problem for any Irish business trying to move goods into and out of the country.
“Using BDO’s expertise in customs law and tax, together with Fexco technology and customer service expertise, Declaron has developed a solution to simplify clearing goods across borders. Declaron can manage hundreds of thousands of declarations through a combination of deep customs knowledge, proprietary software and expert customs clearance agents.
"The online portal will provide 24/7 status updates on declarations and will help customers save time on document preparation. Records for all traded goods declared to customers are safeguarded and accessible online to help deal with any Revenue queries or audits.”
In Association with
• Government advice for business on Getting Brexit Ready
The automated customs clearance service will include:
- An automated smart digital creation and filing system for customs documentation
- an automated customs clearance platform
- 24/7 status on all customs clearance
- automated compliance assistance as you work
- an automated audit trail
- automated updates (e.g., VAT changes).
Its operation will be supported by expert customs clearance agents, and Declaron will lodge import and export declarations and interface with customs on clients’ behalf. "It is fully compliant with the requirements from customs authorities in both Ireland and the UK and provides clarity for customers on the customs process from end to end,” according to Lynch.
From 1 January 2021, all exports and imports between Ireland and the UK will require customs clearance documentation. Time management, costs, border delays, lack of customs expertise and audit compliance will all be new challenges facing Irish businesses who move goods into and out of the country.
Fexco chief executive Denis McCarthy stated: “Declaron is a great example of Fexco collaborating with sectoral experts to bring technology-based solutions to Irish businesses. BDO’s customs clearance expertise and Fexco’s technology will bring simplicity and control to Irish businesses in a time of uncertainty."
There are ‘pay-as-you-go’ and subscription options. The former involves paying per transaction at €45 a pop after a first-time setup fee of €249 (€125 until October 13), with subscription details from the promoters. Irish businesses can register their interest here.
Between now and the end of the year, those who join will also receive support in the form of materials, webinars and Q&A sessions to enable businesses to understand the information they will need to lodge for import and export declarations from January 1 onwards.
Carol Lynch added: “With only 15 weeks to go until the big day, we’d strongly recommend Irish businesses put in place a timeline and ensure all applications for customs authorisations are submitted by the end of this month.
“Businesses need to be sure they’ve agreed their delivery terms with customers and suppliers, have a high-quality customs agent, and arranged customs training on the information required to complete declarations. Members of our team will be demoing our platform this week.”
FTA Ireland, the business group representing the Irish logistics sector, has endorsed the BDO/Fexco service.
General manager Aidan Flynn stated: “Irrespective of the outcome of EU-UK negotiations, from the 1st of January 2021 the rules of the single market and the customs union will no longer apply to the UK. A range of customs formalities and other regulatory requirements will be in place for goods that move through, or to and from, Ireland and Britain.
“Declaron offers full end-to-end support, interfacing with the relevant authorities to ensure smooth customs clearance, as well as managing the new, stricter sanitary and phytosanitary requirements on behalf of clients.”
Photo: BDO Ireland managing partner Michael Costello (left), Denis McCarthy and Carol Lynch. (Pix: Naoise Culhane)
