The European Union (EU) presents exciting opportunities for companies looking to diversify their markets, especially with the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA).
However, EU customs regulations and directives can be complex. In addition, there are exceptions to the uniqueness of the EU market.
In this sense, national rules continue to coexist with EU laws in many areas. Nevertheless, the EU markets remain accessible and offer great opportunities for your business development. CQI can help you see this more clearly.
Have you made a sale in Europe? Are you ready to ship the goods? Have you thought about transportation costs, customs tariffs, the free trade agreement? What standards apply to your products? Ideally, these elements should be part of the preliminary reflection for any expansion project in Europe. If you are already exporting to these markets, a simple check and a few updates could certainly benefit you.
Initiating a customs compliance preparation and validation process for your exports to the European Union markets allows you to:
European Union countries offer great opportunities to diversify your markets. However, customs regulations and guidelines can be challenging. CQI’s coaching will provide you with an overview of all customs issues to consider when exporting to CETA countries, such as:
Analyzing your customs documentation is a crucial step in your export process to the European Union. A CQI expert will check your customs declarations to ensure their compliance and make any necessary corrections. He will also make sure that you have an economic operator number (EORI number), which is mandatory for importers from outside the EU and is assigned at the time of the first customs declaration.
Before shipping your goods, we will ensure that the labeling of your products complies with the export country’s standards. There are a multitude of product labels in the EU. Therefore, checking each country’s specific labeling and packaging requirements is crucial. We will also look at the EC marking which certifies that a product has been evaluated and meets all EU safety, health and environmental protection requirements before being placed on the market. EC marking is mandatory for certain product groups.
To take advantage of the CETA, which grants preferential tariffs to products originating from both Canada and the European Union, you will have to file a declaration of origin. This will allow 98% of your products to be imported into the European Union free of duty (0%). In some cases, you may need to file other documents such as: an export declaration, a customs declaration using the Single Administrative Document Commercial Invoice, a declaration of origin, a license or permit, a bill of lading and a shipping bill. We also assist you in this process to ensure that all required documents are completed in a timely manner.
Once the shipping process is underway, we know entrepreneurs have many things on their plate, while tracking customs documents requires rigor and attention to detail. CQI experts are available to train your employees involved in this process and to answer any questions they may have.
When it comes to exporting, remember that YOU are 100% responsible for the documents provided to customs. It is therefore essential that you know how EU customs and regulations work.
You must also understand the paperwork required to ensure compliance, even if you are dealing with a customs broker. Contact us to find out how CQI can assist your transportation logistics and customs department!
We can also help you achieve your export strategy through our Horizon 360TM Export Coaching Program.