Kewill and UK web-based customs clearance provider E-customs are working together to prepare customers for the impact of the new Excise Movement Control System in the UK.
The EMCS comes into effect from April 2010 and will see companies within member states exchange customs declarations electronically on the basis of commonly agreed specifications, rather than using the current method of paper-based controls.
The system applies to all excised goods such as alcohol, tobacco products and mineral oils within the European Union.
Kewill has partnered in the UK with E-customs since 2008. Both companies state they have experienced an increasing appetite among their customers to use electronic solutions to simplify their customs processes and meet compliance in advance of the legislative change. However, both have also reported an apparent lack of clarity among UK businesses on how EMCS will affect them and the changes they need to put in place.
Evan Puzey, chief marketing officer at Kewill, said: “Although timescales for the implementation of EMCS have already been announced, the technical specification for the new system is not yet complete in the UK, leading to a degree of uncertainty among vendors and customers.
“As part of our ongoing commitment in the customs and compliance market, Kewill and E-customs are closely monitoring the situation, using our collective customs experience to develop a solution that will allow UK companies to fulfil their obligations.”
