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The technological advances we have witnessed in recent times affect all areas of our lives. Customs is no exception. On the one hand, there are a large number of new products equipped with advanced … technologies, including AI, that need to be classified, cleared and taxed upon import. On the other hand, customs authorities and private sector customs professionals are using the latest technologies for their professional purposes, in particular for tariff classification. How does this technology boom affect both sides of the customs industry? Does it make life easier for customs professionals or does it create new headaches? Experts from around the world tried to find answers to these complex questions during the 22nd Authors' Meeting. Below is an overview of the main points provided by experts from some of the EU Member States, the UK, Switzerland, the USA, Canada, Brazil and Israel.

Tariff classification is one of the most complicated things about customs. Not surprisingly, there are many tools available to make the process easier and more automated. This article provides … an overview of the main technologies and solutions available to assist classification, particularly those found online. This article is an abridged version of the full article published in the World Customs Journal, 18(1). The abridged version of the article is published with the permission of the WCJ.

An Israeli court recently ruled in favour of an importer's claim against the Israeli customs authority. The court found that the classification of a protective safe used to prevent the theft … of vehicle computers was in line with the importer's proposal. At the same time, the court dismissed part of the claim due to the statute of limitations.

Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation is the EU’s main instrument to protect human health and the environment from the risks that can be posed … by chemicals. The legislation places a registration obligation on the importer. However, the definitions of the importer and import under the REACH legislation do not align with the customs terminology. The article demonstrates what happens when discrepancies arise.

Non-tariff measures are policy measures other than ordinary customs tariffs that can potentially have an economic impact on international trade in goods by changing the quantities traded, prices … or both.

REACH stands for Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. It is the main EU legislation for the regulation of chemicals in the EU. It is a single economic market … measure applying in the European Economic Area (EEA). EU REACH ceased to have effect in Great Britain from 1 January 2021. The Government has put in place a separate UK REACH regime that applies to businesses that import, make, sell or distribute chemicals in Great Britain, whether as raw materials or in their finished state. Northern Ireland stays within the jurisdiction of EU REACH.

EU Regulation provides a new legal framework to improve information sharing and digital cooperation between customs administrations and other government authorities in charge of enforcing non-customs … formalities at the EU border. What are these non-customs formalities?

Part of the EU’s trade rules enforcement arsenal, the Trade Barriers Regulation is a legal instrument that gives EU companies, industries, associations and Member States the right to lodge a … complaint with the Commission about trade barriers in third countries.