Digitization of ATA Carnets: overview of the ICC pilot project

The ATA[1] Carnet is an international Customs document that permits duty-free and tax-free temporary admission of most goods for up to one year. It enables countries, businesses and border agencies to expedite the Customs process by utilizing unified, ready-to-use declaration forms and eliminating the lodging of a guarantee, bond or cash deposit in the country of temporary importation. At the end of 2020, the ATA Carnet procedure has been implemented in 78 countries and Customs territories. In each one of them, the Customs authority appoints a National Guaranteeing Association (NGA) which guarantees payment of import duties and taxes in cooperation with foreign NGAs around the world. Under the NGA’s umbrella, there can be multiple issuing associations (IAs) in each country to process Carnet applications. Processing fees apply as well as a surety bond which will be returned if the Carnet has been used correctly. The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the institutional representative of over 45 million companies worldwide, is responsible for administering the global guarantee chain affiliated with all NGAs.