What Happens After Custom Clearance Completed?

If you are an Irish company that relies on the transit of goods across borders, working with Emerald Freight puts you in the hands of an expert team that you can trust. Our team understands the intricacies and necessary details of customs clearance in Ireland, ensuring that your goods reach their destination on time, on budget, securely, and with minimal delays throughout the customs process.

A failure to fully prepare for the specific customs clearance that your goods will face can lead to significant delays in them leaving or arriving in Ireland. That’s why it is so important to work with a company that has the experience and expertise to pass customs clearance processes with minimal fuss and delay.

Customs Clearance – What It Actually Means

When goods are exported or imported there is a requirement for them to go through a customs clearance process. It records the process of goods exiting or entering the country and involves the calculation of VAT and other duties that are due on the goods. Any goods that are shipped internationally must follow a specific set of steps for customs clearance before they can be released at the destination country. This is the same process whether goods are transported by land, sea, or air. Once all customs documents have been checked and all duties and taxes paid, the goods can be released.

Post-Clearance Steps

For goods to be released through customs, the customs agent (the importer) must ensure that all duties and tax is fully paid and that all documentation is complete. There are different steps to the customs clearance process for importing goods and exporting goods.

Import customs clearance process

To import goods into Ireland, you must:

• Check all goods being imported are legally permitted in Ireland.
• Declare all goods through a customs declaration. This can be completed electronically through the Automated Import System (AIS).
• If the shipment contains goods with components from various countries, all countries of origin must be listed in the attached documentation.
• An import license must be available to show you are legally allowed to bring certain goods into the country.
• Pay the exact due amount of duties and taxes up front to help speed up the customs clearance process.

Export customs clearance process

To export goods out of Ireland, you must:

• Submit an export declaration to the customs authorities.
• Clear invoices with descriptions and accurate valuations of goods.
• Include consignment notes with the number of items and weights included.
• Depending on the country the shipment is heading for you may need to include a packing list.
• Have an export license.
• Include a Certificate of Origin to show where the goods were produced. This is necessary when shipping goods to Great Britain for example.

Post customs clearance process

Once your goods have cleared customs, the following steps are required:

• The customs broker will pay any outstanding fees.
• Goods will be released by the authorities.
• Arrange for the transportation of goods from the entry point to a warehouse or the final destination of the goods.
• Upon arrival at the final destination, the goods should be fully inspected by the importer to check they meet the condition listed in the documentation.
• The goods are added to the importer’s inventory system with proper documentation and tracking.
• Pay all outstanding supplier payments.
• Maintain accurate records of all import transactions, invoices, packing lists, bills of lading, and customs documentation for a specific period of time required by each specific customs regulation.
• Customs authorities may conduct a post-clearance audit to verify declarations and compliance.

Who’s Responsible for What?

The importer or the agent dealing with the logistics of a shipment is responsible for the customs clearance process in Ireland. This means taking care of the import declaration to Irish customs, ensuring all applicable customs duties and VAT is paid, and that all compliance is met. Once goods reach the final destination, the importer inspects the goods to ensure they match the purchase order and intended condition. Accurate records must be kept by the importer or agent.

Common Delays After Customs Clearance

There are a few challenges that may appear during the customs clearance process. Working with a freight forwarder that has experience of dealing with such challenges will help you to have peace of mind that any delays will be minimal. Some of the challenges include:

• Issues with documents — any missing paperwork, incomplete documents, or documents containing incorrect information, can cause significant delays. This can include invoices, certificates of origin, bills of lading, and other types of documents.
• Customs duties and taxes — incorrect classification of tariffs, undervaluation of goods, and a misunderstanding of applicable duties can result in penalties or high fees.
• Inspection — some shipments are subject to inspection, by random choice, which can lead to delays. Sometimes, goods can be held for more thorough checks which adds even further delays.
• Compliance — every country has its own customs clearance processes to be aware of, and it’s important to understand this. For Ireland, Brexit has complicated trade routes and customs clearance between the UK and Ireland in recent years. This has created a challenge that is specific to Irish businesses. The introduction of the Customs Declaration Service (CDS) in the UK and the Automated Import System (AIS) in Ireland has added to the complication.
• Events — there are some weather events and geopolitical moments that can delay shipment by air or sea and there isn’t much that you can do. For customs specifically, high volume days and speed of processing in different border control areas, you might experience longer delays.

Our team understands the challenges mentioned here and can help you to streamline the process, minimising delays at customs clearance and getting you to the post customs clearance phase sooner.

How Emerald Freight Streamlines the Process

To find out more about how we can help you navigate the customs clearance process when exporting or importing goods in and out of Ireland, connect with a freight expert today. As an Irish business you want to partner with an Irish freight forwarding expert, like us, to ensure that all the necessary paperwork is complete and all regulatory necessities complied with, whether you are sending goods out of the country or receiving them into Ireland. Whether your goods are being shipped by air freight or ocean freight, we have the global partners, excellent communication processes, and the expertise to clear customs with minimal delays by making sure all the paperwork is dealt with in advance of customs.