Digital Carnets

What is a Digital Carnet?

In very simple terms, a Digital Carnet is a paper or manual Carnet presented on a mobile phone app.

Referred to as a ‘passport for goods’ a Carnet is an international customs document that permits duty-free and tax-free temporary import of goods for up to one year

Carnets cut red tape by simplifying and unifying customs border crossing regulations for temporary export and import in over 80 countries around the world

Carnet digitisation is a Worldwide project and the UK is one of the Digital Carnet pilots. Currently, we are in the preparation phase where we are testing Digital Carnets between the UK and six other countries.

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How do Digital Carnets work?

• The holder applies for the Carnet online via eCert (Business West’s trade documentation platform)
• The holder downloads the Carnet onto a smartphone/tablet/iPad 
• The Declaration (or ‘Travel’ as it is known in Digital Carnet terms) is completed in the App and the QR code is presented to Customs
• Customs scan the QR code, verify the data and process the transaction
• The transaction is recorded in the Holder App and Customs' software. This is visible to the Holder, Customs and Issuing Chamber
• The holder 'returns' the Digital Carnet on the App and then Business West discharges it

What are the benefits of Digital Carnets?

ATA Carnets can contain more than one hundred pieces of paper, requiring numerous physical authorisation stamps. Digital Carnets aim to ease the administrative burden of traditional ATA Carnets, whilst also reducing the financial and logistical risk as well as having a positive environmental impact. 

Some of the benefits:

• Save paper, ink, printing and energy costs
• Save time and simplify the administrative side of ATA Carnets
• Reduce the likelihood of errors and Carnet loss
• Reduce the likelihood of financial penalties from overseas customs
  
  

If you use ATA Carnets and would like to get involved in the preparation phase of this pilot project get in touch.

Where can you use Digital Carnets?

Currently, the preparation phase of the Digital Carnet project is running in the UK and six other countries and airports.