HMRC has urged UK businesses to prepare for the new customs platform. UK customs authorities are replacing the Customs Handling Import and Export Freight (CHIEF) system with an advanced IT platform. Authorities recently issued a letter to businesses informing them about the forthcoming changes.

The new UK customs platform

After 31 March 2023, the Customs Declaration Service will become the sole UK customs platform, replacing CHIEF.

In order to comply with the new system, traders should appoint a customs agent or freight forwarder to manage customs declarations on their behalf. Alternatively, traders need to ensure they have the appropriate software in place to interact with HMRC systems.

Note also that some of the codes on the new Customs Declaration Service are different from CHIEF codes. Traders should seek expert support if they are unsure how to migrate to the new system.

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