It’s the beginning of the end.
Well - the end of CHIEF, that is. ?
The existing UK customs platform (which has been used for nearly three decades) will be phased out over the next 8 months or so. Replacing CHIEF will be the Customs Declaration Service (CDS).
This will occur in 2 stages:
- Phase One: From the 30th of September 2022, it will no longer be possible to make import declarations through CHIEF.
- Phase Two: From the 31st of March 2023, it will no longer be possible to make export declarations through CHIEF.
Here’s what traders must do to ensure that they can continue to import from September 2022 and export from March 2023.
Let’s get started!
(Please note: Unlike CHIEF, CDS does not allow you to change your payment method after your declaration has been submitted. For this reason, your Deferment account or CDS Cash account must be topped up.)
✔️ Register
Recently, we asked Dan Balshaw, one of our Customs Experts, to answer some common CDS questions, including:
- What’s all the fuss about?
- What’s the difference between CDS and CHIEF, anyway?
- How can my business stay ahead of the curve?
- What happens if I choose not to get CDS ready?
(If you haven’t already, you can catch the full interview here.)
The first thing Dan recommends that customers should do is register for CDS:
“It’s really important before the end of August that you sign into your Government Gateway account and register for CDS.”
✔️ Access
If you want your customs broker to use your Cash or Deferment accounts to pay VAT/Duties, you must give them access.
To do this, simply visit your Customs Declaration Service Finance Dashboard through your Government Gateway account.
✔️ Enable
As a customs broker that has served more than 1000 customers, helping with over 95,000 (and counting!) customs declarations, we can help you to create import and export declarations via CDS.
In fact, we’ve already been using CDS for almost 2 years.
All you have to do is give us authority to use your Cash or Deferment accounts to pay VAT/Duties. If you don't give us authority we don't have access.
If you want to use immediate payment or CustomsLink's deferment account, no further authorisation or registration is needed.
✔️ Act now
Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.
(Sometimes, the biggest cliches are the most true.)
If you don’t register for CDS, you won’t be able to import from September. Getting #CDSready is absolutely essential for businesses that rely on trading between GB and the EU.
As Dan says:
“Being unprepared is not an option right now.”
Take the first steps towards preparing for CDS & protecting your business by registering for CDS through your Government Gateway.
We are CustomsLink, a RoRo customs specialist who can organise import, export, safety & security and goods movement declarations for hauliers, importers, exporters and more. For enquiries, get in touch with one of our customs experts today.
Did you like this article? Sign up to our mailing list and never miss an update.
