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Key Impex Systems

There are a number of key procedures and IT systems which are key for import/export whereby customs declarations are made electronically and movements of goods to and from Germany, as well as inside the country are processed and planned.

(key = wichtig customs declaration = Zollanmeldung movement of goods = Warenverkehr processed = bearbeitet)

  • The first of those is ATLAS: The Automated Tariff and Local Customs Clearance System.  This is the customs software used by the German customs administration.  It provides digitally automated clearance and monitoring of cross-border goods-traffic for goods imported from outside the EU. Using this system, documents such as, customs declarations or import-duty notices, are entered electronically and then transmitted to the customs office. Following that then, all the corresponding decisions and notices from the customs office are then returned digitally as well. Participation in the ATLAS procedure is obligatory in accordance with the “Union Customs Code” (which is the is the customs code for the EU, which came into effect on 1 May 2016). According to the German Customs Directorate General, the exchange of information, such as declarations, applications or decisions, between companies and customs authorities have to be carried out using electronic data processing.

( customs clearance = Zollerklärung cross-border goods-traffic = grenzüberschreitende Warenverkehr import-duty = Einfuhrzoll notice = Ankündigung transmitted = übermittelt customs office = Zollamt obligatory = verpflichtend Union Customs Code = Zollunion (EU) come into effect = in Kraft treten Directorate General = Generaldirektion application = Antrag carried out = ausführen data processing = Datenverarbeitung )

  • The second is AES. AES stands for “Automated Export Service.” Using this system, export declarations are issued electronically in the EU. This system has been compulsory since 2009.
  •  The third one is EMCS.  This stands for Excise Movement and Control System (EMCS) and is an IT system for monitoring the movement of goods under “duty suspension” in the EU.  That means that it records, in real-time, the movement of specific products for which excise duties have still to be paid. More than 100,000 businesses currently use EMCS, and it is a crucial tool for information exchange and cooperation between EU Member States.
  • Finally you’ve got NCTS.  That stands for “New Computerised Transit System (NCTS), which is a system of electronic declaration and processing that companies have to use to submit Common Transit declarations.

(stands for = steht für issued = ausgestellt compulsory = pflicht duty suspension = Zollaussetzung record = aufnehmen crucial tool = wichtiges Instrument exchange = Austausch submit = einreichen Transit Declaration = Versandanmeldung)

Companies involved in import and export can also apply for a number of additional customs-clearance shortcuts eliminating the need to actually go to the customs office, saving time and money for all stakeholders. As of 1 July 2005, in Germany, the Union/common transit procedures, which were previously processed with the single administrative document T1 and T2, began to be handled with the New Computerised Transit System (NCTS) as a new standard procedure. As a result, both the standard procedure and shortcut procedures i.e. ‘authorised consigner status’ and ‘authorised consignee recipient’ have been implemented. However, the shortcut procedures for certain modes of transportation involving transit by rail, air or sea and via pipelines, are not covered by the NCTS.

(apply for = beantragen shortcuts = Vereinfachungen eliminate = beseitigen stakeholders = Beteiligte Union/common transit procedures = gemeinschaftlichen/gemeinsamen Versandverfahren previously = bis dahin single administrative document T1 and T2 = Einheitspapier T1 und T2 handled = durchgeführt consigner = Versender Consignee = Empfänger pipeline = Rohrleitung)