Trade Services Archives

ATA Carnet Service Reaching Out to the Export Community

Published on June 22, 2009
Carnet representatives, Small Business Administration officials and Customs officers-ud-736-UD-736 at a USCIB briefing during World Trade Week
Carnet representatives, Small Business Administration officials and Customs officers-ud-736-UD-736 at a USCIB briefing during World Trade Week

With use of the ATA Carnet service for temporary exports declining along with overall U.S. trade, USCIB is taking a number of steps to strengthen the worldwide Carnet system, and we are reaching out to new partners to ensure it can rebound once the recession is over.

ATA Carnets are export documents that permit duty-free, tax-free entry of various types of goods into 65 countries and their territories for up to one year.  Overall, Carnet usage is down between 10 and 20 percent worldwide.  USCIB is doing its part to maintain the health of the global system despite the economic downturn.

On April 6 and 7, we hosted the meeting of the Executive Committee of the World ATA Carnet Countries  at our offices in Midtown Manhattan.  Topics for discussion included potential new member countries, including Brazil, promoting Carnet use worldwide, and the possible impact of the U.S. “10+2” rules. The meetings concluded with celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Carnets in the United States by enjoying a few of New York’s classic landmarks.

Carnets are especially useful for taking goods to overseas trade shows, for product demonstration and for transporting professional equipment.  The system is overseen by the World Customs Organization and the International Chamber of Commerce.  USCIB is the national guaranteeing association in the United States, and we issue Carnets for U.S. exporters directly from our New York headquarters and via a network of service providers nationwide.

USCIB’s Amanda Barlow at the National Customs Brokers conference
USCIB’s Amanda Barlow at the National Customs Brokers conference

Also in April, USCIB’s Amanda Barlow visited U.S. export assistance centers in Los Angeles and San Francisco, explaining how Carnets help U.S. exporters get their goods into foreign markets, while Christopher Gillard organized training sessions for some 80 U.S. Customs officers-ud-736-UD-736 at Los Angeles International Airport.  Meanwhile, USCIB exhibited for the third consecutive year at the National Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Association of America’s annual conference, providing excellent visibility and forging strong relationships with this important segment of the trade community.

During World Trade Week In May, the 40th anniversary of the ATA Carnet system in the United States was marked as USCIB was awarded the Department of Commerce’s export appreciation award at a well attended breakfast in New York.  “Companies of all sizes use Carnets to operate smoothly across borders,” said USCIB President and CEO Peter M. Robinson in accepting the award.  “They can help pave the way for new overseas sales, which are more important than ever as we seek to get our economy out of recession.”

As part of World Trade Week, USCIB hosted a seminar on “Building International Sales, Doing it the Right Way,” where USCIB’s Ms. Barlow joined Toni Corsini of the Small Business Administration to provide an in-depth overview of services and assistance programs for smaller exporters.  Representatives from U.S. Customs and Border Protection concluded the session with a review of export and import regulations, including export licenses and the important concept of “reasonable care” in international trade.

These efforts, along with ongoing measures to streamline and promote the Carnet system worldwide, should position the service to rebound along with international trade in the months and years ahead.

More on the ATA Carnet Export Service

USCIB Honored During World Trade Week

Published on May 18, 2009

Carnet service for temporary exports celebrated on 40th anniversary

USCIB President and CEO Peter Robinson (right) accepts the Commerce Department’s Export Appreciation Award from James Cox, Northeast network director with the U.S. Commercial Service.
USCIB President and CEO Peter Robinson (right) accepts the Commerce Department’s Export Appreciation Award from James Cox, Northeast network director with the U.S. Commercial Service.

New York, N.Y., May 18, 2009 – The United States Council for International Business (USCIB), a leading pro-trade group based in Midtown Manhattan, was honored with the Department of Commerce’s Export Appreciation Award at a breakfast today at Baruch College.  The award, presented as part of the New York-area celebration of World Trade Week, recognized USCIB’s innovative ATA Carnet service for temporary exports.

“We are delighted to receive recognition for this invaluable commercial tool,” said USCIB President and CEO Peter M. Robinson in accepting the award.  “Companies of all sizes use Carnets to operate smoothly across borders.  What’s more, Carnets can help pave the way for new overseas sales, which are more important than ever as we seek to get our economy out of recession.”

Introduced in the United States forty years ago this month, ATA Carnets are internationally recognized customs documents, accepted in 65 countries, that allow for temporary duty-free, tax-free import of commercial samples, professional equipment and goods displayed at trade shows.  USCIB issues and guarantees Carnets in the United States from it’s New York offices and via a nationwide network of service providers.

Companies find “merchandise passports” essential for reducing costs and speeding global operations.  The ATA Carnet system was developed by the International Chamber of Commerce, the world business organization USCIB represents in the United States, and the World Customs Organization.  (“ATA” is a combination of the French and English abbreviations for “temporary admission.”)  More information on ATA Carnets is available at www.merchandisepassport.org.

Originally proclaimed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, World Trade Week is marked in cities nationwide to celebrate international trade’s contributions to the U.S. economy.  The New York-area trade community will celebrate World Trade Week with a full agenda of conferences, educational seminars, global business networking events and an awards breakfast recognizing exemplary contributions in the field.  More information, including a complete roster of events, is available at www.wtwnyc.org.

President Obama, in a proclamation issued by the White House, stated: “The United States is well-positioned to reap the benefits of trade.  America is a leader in the global marketplace and ranks at the top of almost every measure of global competitiveness.  Our businesses, workers, and farmers remain the most innovative, productive, and adaptable in the world.  The United States is also the world’s largest exporter.”

USCIB promotes open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility, supported by international engagement and prudent regulation.  Its members include top U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms from every sector of our economy, with operations in every region of the world.  With a unique global network encompassing leading international business organizations, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide, and works to facilitate international trade and investment.  More information is available at www.uscib.org.

Contact:
Jonathan Huneke, USCIB
(212) 703-5043
jhuneke@uscib.org

World Trade Week NYC website

President Obama’s proclamation: World Trade Week 2009

More on USCIB’s ATA Carnet Export Service

More on USCIB’s Trade and Investment Committee

The Journal of Commerce: 10 Tips for Saving Money with ‘Merchandise Passports’

Published on March 1, 2009
The Journal Of Commerce

 

JOC TENS: IN THE KNOW: 2009

Cynthia Duncan

10 Tips for Saving Money with ‘Merchandise Passports’

Cynthia J. Duncan
United States Council for International Business

www.uscib.org

The ATA Carnet, a standard internationally recognized customs document that allows goods to move into foreign markets duty-free and tax-free, is one of the best-kept secrets in international trade. Carnets, also called “merchandise passports,” are used for temporary admission of product samples, merchandise displayed at trade shows and professional equipment — that is, goods that won’t be sold or have value added during their travels overseas. If you regularly take such goods abroad — and who doesn’t? —a Carnet can save time, money and hassle.

There are just a few things you need to know before you go:

  1. Carnets are one document for all customs transactions and good for one year.

    Carnets are used for unlimited exits from and entries into the U.S. and a foreign country. This allows a temporary exporter to use a single document for multiple country visits, instead of posting a financial guarantee at every port of entry. Goods on Carnet must return to the U.S. within one year or face penalties.

  2. Carnets are accepted in 75 countries and territories.

    Customs authorities in more than 75 nations accept the ATA Carnet as a temporary importation document. Carnets are accepted throughout the European Union and in major emerging markets. The system is growing: Pakistan joined in 2007, and Ukraine and Montenegro followed last year. This network provides ready-made access to a large number of important markets, simplifying and cutting the costs of doing business.

  3. Carnets cover commercial samples, professional equipment and goods for exhibitions and fairs.

    Goods covered under Carnets run the gamut from jewelry, jets and construction equipment to computers and the instruments and equipment taken on tour by groups such as Bon Jovi and the San Francisco Symphony. Everyday items such as medical devices, industrial machinery, artwork, computers, vehicles, repair tools, film equipment, wearing apparel and furniture make temporary entry on Carnets. They also cover more unusual items such as vintage costumes, Stradivarius violins, human skulls, satellites, racehorses, and rare gems and jewels.

  4. Carnets eliminate the need to register with U.S. Customs.

    Carnets substitute for the CF 4455 (Certificate of Registration), which is used to register goods leaving the U.S. on a temporary basis. The CF 4455 does not negate the need to complete entry documents in all foreign countries visited. What’s more, re-entry into the U.S. can be a hassle, as registration information is not shared among U.S. ports. By using a Carnet, you avoid both pitfalls.

  5. Carnets avoid the need to post duties and taxes.

    As an alternative to an ATA Carnet, an exporter may deposit with foreign customs the appropriate taxes and duties. At the time of re-exportation, additional paperwork must be completed to obtain a refund and will be delivered some months later. Why lay out this money in the first place? Reimbursement will be made in the foreign currency, not U.S. dollars, leading to the hassle and expense of currency conversion. What’s more, duties and taxes can range from 20 to 30 percent in Europe, to 40 percent in China — an enormous initial outlay.

  6. Carnets waive the need for Temporary Importation Under Bond (TIB).

    Another option for temporary entry is to post a financial guarantee or TIB. An exporter must secure the TIB at the time of entry into each foreign country and must meet foreign customs requirements. These requirements vary from country to country, making it more difficult to plan and prepare.

  7. Carnets are paid for in U.S. dollars.

    Because a Carnet is obtained in the U.S., charges are paid in U.S. dollars. The same is not so for duty deposits or TIBs, for which local currency is required.

  8. Carnets are the cost-effective option.

    For a Carnet covering $50,000 worth of merchandise for multiple trips to the U.K, the cost is $500. Alternatively, posting just the value-added tax of 17.5 percent would require an outlay of $8,750.

  9. Carnet paperwork is in English.

    The Carnet application process is done online and in English. As an internationally recognized customs document, a Carnet also can limit the possibility of confusion or miscommunication posed by language barriers when entering a foreign country.

  10. Carnets save you money and hassles when shipping goods overseas.

    Bottom line: Carnets save you time, money and hassle. And they can be obtained by you, the exporter, or by a forwarder or other third party.

  11. A bonus tip …

    Remember to check with the Department of Commerce to ensure your goods do not require export or import licenses!

The worldwide ATA Carnet system is overseen by the World Customs Organization in cooperation with the Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce and its network of national guaranteeing associations.

In the U.S., the United States Council for International Business guarantees Carnets and issues them from its headquarters in New York and via a nationwide network of service providers. Visit www.merchandisepassport.org or call 1-800-5DUTYFREE (1-800-538-8937) for more information.

JoC TENs Essayist Cynthia J. Duncan is senior vice president for Carnet operations at the United States Council for International Business in New York City. She can be contacted at cduncan@uscib.org.

Montenegro Joins ATA Carnet System for Duty-Free Imports

Published on December 2, 2008

MontenegroNew York, N.Y., December 2, 2008 – Beginning this month, the European nation of Montenegro has begun accepting ATA Carnets, waiving duties and taxes on a variety of goods entering the country temporarily.  It is the 66th country to join the unique system to facilitate trade and business travel, according to the United States Council for International Business (USCIB), which administers the ATA Carnet system in the United States.

“Montenegro’s decision to accept Carnets further solidifies their use in southeastern Europe,” according to Cynthia Duncan, USCIB’s senior vice president for Carnet operations. “Among the nations of former Yugoslavia, only Bosnia and Kosovo remain outside the system.”

ATA Carnets (“ATA” is a combination of the French and English abbreviations for “temporary admission.”) are internationally recognized customs documents for temporary duty-free, tax-free import of commercial samples, professional equipment and goods displayed at trade shows.  Companies find the “merchandise passports” essential for reducing costs and speeding global operations.

Ms. Duncan said Montenegrin industries of interest to U.S. importers and exporters included synthetic cloth and industrial textiles, footwear, lumber, telecommunications equipment, steel mill products, and photographic and optical equipment.

Since gaining independence in 2006, Montenegro has embarked on an economic reform and privatization drive that has led to strong economic growth, which exceeded seven percent last year. The country is also a candidate for membership in the European Union.

Carnets are honored in over 80 customs territories, including all EU members, and can be used for multiple trips during a one-year period.  The global ATA Carnet system is overseen by the Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce.  USCIB administers the Carnet system in the United States, working with service providers Roanoke Trade Services, Inc., and the Corporation for International Business.

In 2007, over 155,000 ATA Carnets were issued worldwide, covering goods valued at almost $12 billion.  The system is growing, with Ukraine and Pakistan among the most recent additions.  China recently marked its tenth anniversary in the system. See related story.

USCIB promotes an open system of world commerce.  As American affiliate of the leading international business and employers organizations, including ICC, it provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide.  USCIB facilitates international trade by issuing and guaranteeing ATA Carnets, by promoting international cooperation in such areas as customs policies and commercial dispute resolution, and through its ICC Books USA unit, which publishes a variety of publications on to international trade and investment.

Contact:
Cynthia Duncan, SVP Carnet Operations, USCIB
(212) 703-5079 or cduncan@uscib.org

More on USCIB’s ATA Carnet Export Service

China Celebrates a Decade in ATA Carnet System

Published on December 2, 2008
L-R: Yang Huazhang (CCPIT), Cynthia Duncan (USCIB, Peter Robinson (USCIB), Song Lee Ju (Singapore International Chamber of Commerce), Peter Bishop (London Chamber of Commerce & Industry), Hao Chongfu (Chinese Customs Control & Inspection)
L-R: Yang Huazhang (CCPIT), Cynthia Duncan (USCIB, Peter Robinson (USCIB), Song Lee Ju (Singapore International Chamber of Commerce), Peter Bishop (London Chamber of Commerce & Industry), Hao Chongfu (Chinese Customs Control & Inspection)

Business representatives from around the world gathered last month in Beijing to mark China’s ten years in the ATA Carnet system, the innovative network of nations granting duty-free, tax-free entry to many types of goods.

USCIB President and CEO Peter M. Robinson led a delegation of U.S. business experts to the meeting.  USCIB was instrumental in helping to open up the world’s most populous country to Carnets in the 1990s.  Over 7,000 Carnets have been issued for U.S. goods to enter China since its entry into the system.

China now ranks 12th among 65 countries in the ATA System, with over 3,200 Carnets issued in 2007 for goods valued at $73 million (U.S.), an increase of up 35 percent over 2006.

That number should grow significantly as the result of this year’s Beijing Olympics, for which China temporarily expanded the scope of goods admissible under Carnets to include professional equipment.

The global ATA Carnet system, overseen by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the World Customs Organization, permits the duty- and tax-free temporary exports of a wide range of goods for business use for up to one year.  Almost 160,000 ATA Carnets were issued worldwide in 2007 for goods valued at $17 billion.

Following 10 years of negotiations, Chinese customs authorities implemented the ATA Carnet system in March 1998 and appointed the China Chamber of International Commerce/China Center for the Promotion of International Trade (CCOIC/CCPIT) as the ATA Carnet national guaranteeing organization.

“USCIB was pivotal in bringing China into the Carnet system,” said Cynthia Duncan, USCIB’s senior vice president for Carnet operations.  Mr. Robinson, then-Carnet director Bruce Wilson and Anna Zhang, a Beijing native who joined USCIB in the 1980s and presently serves as director of Carnet claims, played “key roles,” according to Ms. Duncan, in advancing the date of China’s membership.  USCIB provided early training for CCOIC/CCPIT representatives, and it has been active in training and troubleshooting ever since.

“China has been a great addition to the ATA Carnet network,” said Peter Bishop (London Chamber of Commerce & Industry), chairman of the World ATA Carnet Council, part of ICC’s World Chambers Federation.  “There is no doubt that its participation will grow as time goes by and further anniversaries are celebrated.”

Recently China has taken other steps to facilitate cross-border movement of goods.  Chinese Customs, CCOIC/CCPIT and the Beijing Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games put in place measures to ease the issuance of ATA Carnets for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in August and September.  Hundreds of ATA Carnets were used to get an estimated $400 million worth of goods into China for the games, with TV and radio equipment used by news crews from around the world leading the way.

Ms. Duncan said it is hoped that this experience will pave the way for the Chinese authorities to permanently extend the scope of application of ATA Carnets to encompass professional equipment and commercial samples in the near future.

Staff contact: Cynthia Duncan

More on the ATA Carnet Export Service

More on USCIB’s China Committee

Member Staff News, Summer 2008: Save Money When Sending Goods Abroad Temporarily

Published on July 1, 2008
Cynthia Duncan
Cynthia Duncan

By Cynthia Duncan

USCIB Senior Vice President for Carnet Operations

Companies join USCIB to influence international commercial policy through our unique global business network, to gain valuable expertise on current topics in global commerce, and to influence the rules of the game for cross-border trade and investment.  But did you know that USCIB can also save you money when you send goods abroad temporarily?

How?  It’s called the ATA Carnet, and it’s one of USCIB’s exclusive trade services.  Many USCIB members already save thousands of dollars each year using it.

Known as “merchandise passports,” Carnets (pronounced “kar-nays”) are international customs documents that facilitate temporary imports into foreign countries, duty- and tax-free.  They are accepted in over 80 countries and customs territories, including all members of the European Union.  USCIB is the sole issuer and guarantor of ATA Carnets in the United States.

In the 1950s, before the EU began dismantling barriers to trade, a number of European countries started to experiment with temporary export certificates as a way to spur the development of trade shows and other opportunities to show merchandise to potential customers.  The idea caught on, and the following decade the World Customs Organization adopted the “Customs Convention on the ATA Carnet for the Temporary Admission of Goods.”  (The acronym ATA is a combination of the English and French words for “temporary admission.”)

Under this treaty, Carnets are issued and guaranteed by a national business group in each signatory country.  In 1968, the U.S. Treasury Department appointed USCIB to operate the ATA Carnet system in the United States.  The worldwide system is administered by the International Chamber of Commerce, part of USCIB’s global network, in cooperation with customs authorities around the world.

Companies utilize Carnets to ship goods abroad that will be returned to the U.S. within one year, and that are being sent for trade shows and exhibitions, as commercial samples or to be used as professional equipment.  There are numerous examples of goods that may be sent abroad under Carnet, including automobiles, audio-visual equipment,  computers, consumer goods, jewelry and art.  All that’s required is that the goods fit one of the above uses and be returned to their country of origin in the same condition they left.

As I write, a wide variety of items are traveling to China using Carnets for the Beijing Olympics.  Sailboats, kayaks, camera and sound equipment, even horses are all slated to enter China under Carnets for the Summer Games.

USCIB’s Carnet service has grown significantly in recent years as more and more companies recognize the value of this service.  With the help of our designated service providers, USCIB now issues some 16,000 Carnets annually.

USCIB members and non-members alike make use of Carnets.  Membership exempts your company from having to post a security deposit equal to 40 percent of the value of the goods being shipped.  Feel free to contact us if you would like to learn more about how your company can save money by using ATA Carnets.

Cynthia Duncan is USCIB’s Senior Vice President for Carnet Operations.  She can be reached at (212) 703-5079 or cduncan@uscib.org.  Learn more about ATA Carnets at www.merchandisepassport.org.

USCIB Member and Staff News

Appointments

USCIB’s Ronnie Goldberg with Jerry Zellhoefer of the AFL-CIO at the International Labor Conference.
USCIB’s Ronnie Goldberg with Jerry Zellhoefer of the AFL-CIO at the International Labor Conference.

Congratulations to Christopher R. Wall, a partner with Pillsbury Winthrop LLP who served on USCIB’s board, who was recently confirmed by the Senate as assistant secretary of Commerce for export administration. … John Buchanan, chairman of Smith & Nephew plc, is the new chairman of ICC United Kingdom, succeeding Paul Skinner, chairman of Rio Tinto. … USCIB Executive Vice President Ronnie Goldberg was re-elected to the International Labor Organization’s Governing Body at the most recent International Labor Conference in Geneva.

Awards

The Dominican Bar Association honored Josefa Sicard-Mirabal, director for North America with the ICC International Court of Arbitration, who works out of USCIB’s New York headquarters.  Josefa was recognized at a May 22 dinner in New York as being among a select group of Dominicans thriving in transnational law.

Passings

We mourn the death in May of Joan Licht Mantel, senior vice president for environmental support with General Electric and an active member of USCIB’s Environment Committee for many years. … We were equally saddened to learn of the passing in July of Demet Ariyak, secretary general of ICC Turkey.  “Demet was a wonderful ICC colleague and friend,” according to USCIB President Peter M. Robinson.  “Over the years, she always extended a reach of smiling compassion that made those around her feel so welcome in her circle.”

New Staffers

We welcome three new full-time staff members to USCIB’s New York headquarters.  Helen Medina (212-703-5047, hmedina@uscib.org) is USCIB’s new director of agriculture, health care, and biotechnology policy, succeeding Alix Heywood, who has resigned to raise her first child.  Helen was most recently assistant director for international affairs at the International Dairy Foods Association in Washington, D.C., and has worked for Consultants International Group in Washington, as well as the U.S. Consulate General in Florence, Italy.  She holds a master’s degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.  Roya Bell (212-703-5063, rbell@uscib.org) has joined us as development associate, supporting USCIB’s communications, marketing and membership functions.  A graduate of the University of California at San Diego, Roya has prior experience with the Direct Marketing Association, Clear-Com and Visa International.  And Kristi Bang (212-703-5096, kbang@uscib.org) has joined USCIB’s ATA Carnet Department as an issuing representative.  A native of Korea who studied at Montclair State University, Kristi has several years’ experience in freight logistics.

Send your USCIB member news to news@uscib.org.

Ukraine to Accept Duty-Free Imports

Published on February 28, 2008

3780_image002New York, N.Y., February 28, 2008 – Ukraine will become the latest country to join the ATA Carnet system, which permits the temporary importation of various types of goods without duties or taxes, as of March 1.  Known as “merchandise passports,” ATA Carnets are an increasingly important tool for businesses engaged in international commerce.

Coupled with the country’s recent agreement to accede to the World Trade Organization, Ukraine’s entry into the Carnet system is a strong signal that the country is committed to promoting economic growth and openness, and to becoming a major European hub for trade, according to the United States Council for International Business (USCIB), which administers the Carnet system in the United States.

“Extension of the Carnet network into the former Soviet bloc nations is a major priority for the worldwide system and particularly for our European counterparts ,” said Cynthia Duncan, USCIB’s senior vice president for Carnet operations. “This will increase access to the Ukrainian market and further meet the demands of U.S. exporters with an interest in the region.”

ATA Carnets are internationally recognized customs documents for temporary duty-free, tax-free import of commercial samples, professional equipment and goods displayed at trade shows.  They are essential for companies seeking to reduce costs and speed global operations.  (The acronym “ATA” is a combination of the French and English abbreviations for “temporary admission.”)

Ukraine will waive import duties on professional equipment, goods for exhibitions and fairs, and commercial samples. ATA Carnets will be accepted for transit operations and postal traffic, but not unaccompanied goods.  ATA Carnets will be guaranteed by the Ukrainian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Carnets are honored in over 80 customs territories and can be used for multiple trips during a one-year period.  The global ATA Carnet system is overseen by the Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce.  USCIB administers the Carnet system in the United States, working with service providers Roanoke Trade Services, Inc., and the Corporation for International Business.

In 2007, over 155,000 Carnets were issued worldwide, covering goods valued at almost 12 billion dollars.  Before Ukraine, Pakistan was the most recent addition to the family of nations accepting ATA Carnets, having joined the system in October.

USCIB promotes an open system of world commerce.  As American affiliate of the leading international business and employers organizations, including ICC, it provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide.  USCIB facilitates international trade by issuing and guaranteeing ATA Carnets, by promoting international cooperation in such areas as customs policies and commercial dispute resolution, and through its ICC Books USA unit, which publishes a variety of publications on to international trade and investment.

Contact:

Cynthia Duncan, SVP Carnet Operations, USCIB

(212) 703-5079 or cduncan@uscib.org

More on USCIB’s ATA Carnet Export Service

Ukranian Chamber of Commerce and Industry website

New Look for “Merchandise Passport” Service

Published on February 8, 2008

ATA Carnets speed nearly $12 billion dollars in temporary exports worldwide each year

ata_logo083007New York, N.Y., February 8, 2008 – The service that issues and guarantees ATA Carnets – the “merchandise passports” that enable users to get product samples, professional equipment and other temporary exports through customs duty- and tax-free – has unveiled its new logo.

ATA Carnet is a trade service of the United States Council for International Business (USCIB), a private industry body that administers the Carnet system in the United States under charter from the U.S. government.  The new logo, part of an organization-wide re-branding campaign, is designed to clearly reflect the Carnet’s essential role as a passport for trade.

“ATA Carnets are, first and foremost, a practical business tool,” said Cynthia Duncan, USCIB’s senior vice president for Carnet operations.  “They save users time, money and the hassle of getting held up at customs.  We believe our ‘new look’ conveys the practical, no-nonsense approach our users take to global trade.”

Carnets are internationally recognized customs documents for temporary duty-free, tax-free import of commercial samples, professional equipment and goods displayed at trade shows.  Companies around the world use them to reduce costs and speed global operations.  (The acronym “ATA” is a combination of the French and English abbreviations for “temporary admission.”)

ATA Carnets are accepted in over 75 customs territories and can be used for multiple trips during a one-year period.  The global Carnet system , which is overseen by the Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), is administered in the United States by USCIB, which issues Carnets out of its New York headquarters and through its two service providers, Roanoke Trade Services and the Corporation for International Business.

Over 155,000 carnets were issued worldwide in 2007, covering goods valued at almost $12 billion.  The worldwide Carnet network is growing, with Pakistan and Chile among the most recent additions to the system and Ukraine slated to join next month.  A country joins the Carnet system by ratifying either the Istanbul Convention or the ATA Convention on temporary imports, and by designating a private-sector body to issue and guarantee Carnets within its territory.

USCIB promotes an open system of world commerce.  As American affiliate of the leading international business and employers organizations, including ICC, it provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide.  USCIB facilitates international trade by issuing and guaranteeing ATA Carnets, by promoting international cooperation in such areas as customs policies and commercial dispute resolution, and through its ICC Books USA unit, which publishes a variety of publications on international trade and investment.

Contact:

Cynthia Duncan, SVP Carnet Operations, USCIB

(212) 703-5079 or cduncan@uscib.org

More on USCIB’s ATA Carnet Export Service

New from ICC Books USA: Commentary on UCP 600

Published on December 3, 2007

3763_image002New York, N.Y., December 3, 2007– American readers of the International Chamber of Commerce’s popular publications no longer have to wait to get their hands on a copy of the long-awaited publication Commentary on UCP 600, an authoritative guide to treatment of letters of credit for international trade.

Written by the drafting group that produced ICC’s universally used rules on documentary credits. Commentary on UCP 600 is now available for purchase from ICC Books USA. Copies can be ordered online at www.iccbooksusa.com or by calling 212-703-5066.

UCP 600 is the first revision of ICC’s rules on documentary credits for 13 years. After three years of preparation, the new rules came into effect on July 1, 2007.

Other UCP revisions have been followed by ICC publications comparing past versions of the rules with the new. But Gary Collyer, chair of the drafting group, noted that UCP 600 incorporated wording that existed in various sections of the previous version, UCP 500. For that reason, he said, “the group decided that a publication comparing one set of rules with another would be too unwieldy and that a commentary on the rules themselves would prove to be more beneficial.”

“There are several major changes in UCP 600 from UCP 500. Perhaps the most important are reflected in their structure, as well as in the roles and responsibilities of the parties.  Regular letter of credit users as well as infrequent or new users should take note. They need to learn what this is all about.” cautioned Don Smith, chair of USCIB’s Banking Committee and a member of the drafting group.

Commentary on UCP 600, which reflects the consensus view of drafting group members, is an article-by-article review of each of the 39 articles of the new UCP. It contains:

  • the text of the new article
  • the key changes from UCP 500
  • a commentary explaining the rationale for the new language, and
  • a cross-reference to other articles in UCP 600

“The aim has been to provide a commentary that enlightens practitioners as to the thought processes behind the changes in each article and to explain why a change was introduced and, in some cases, why no change was made,” Mr. Collyer said.

A wide range of international trade publications on numerous topics in addition to trade finance and letters of credit, are available for purchase from ICC Books USA. Please visit www.iccbooksusa.com for more information or call 212-703-5066 to request a free catalogue.

USCIB promotes an open system of world commerce.  As American affiliate of the leading international business and employers organizations, including ICC, it provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide.  USCIB facilitates international trade by issuing and guaranteeing ATA Carnets, by promoting international cooperation in such areas as customs policies and commercial dispute resolution, and through its ICC Books USA unit, which publishes a variety of publications on international trade and investment.

 

More on ICC Books USA

More on USCIB’s Banking Committee

Pakistan Waives Duties on Temporary Imports

Published on October 2, 2007
Crossing a river in rural Pakistan: the country has crossed an important threshold in joining the ATA Carnet system.
Crossing a river in rural Pakistan: the country has crossed an important threshold in joining the ATA Carnet system.

New York, N.Y., October 2, 2007– Pakistan joined the ATA Carnet system as of October 1.  ATA Carnets, which permit the duty-free and tax-free imports of goods, are an increasingly important tool for businesses engaged in international commerce.

Pakistan’s entry into the system is a strong signal that the country is committed to promoting economic growth and openness, and it represents an opportunity for American business to further tap the South Asian market.

According to the United States Council for International Business (USCIB) which administers the Carnet system in the United States, Pakistan will waive import duties on professional equipment, goods for exhibitions and fairs, and imports for scientific, educational and cultural purposes.

“Pakistan has taken an important step to opening its doors to global business,” said Cynthia Duncan, USCIB’s vice president for Carnet operations. “This measure will enhance the transparency of Pakistan customs and enable greater control of the movement of goods.”

Pakistan-based representatives of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), which oversees the system at the global level, called the country’s entry  an important step toward market openness.

“ICC Pakistan advocates the ATA Carnet System as a trade facilitation measure,“ said Tariq Rangoonwala, chairman of ICC Pakistan. “This is a first step in multilateral trade facilitation in Pakistan.”

Often called “merchandise passports,” ATA Carnets are internationally recognized customs documents for temporary duty-free, tax-free import of commercial samples, professional equipment and goods displayed at trade shows.  Companies around the world use them to reduce costs and speed global operations.  (The acronym “ATA” is a combination of the French and English abbreviations for “temporary admission.”)

ATA Carnets will be guaranteed by the Pakistan National Chamber of Commerce and Industry.  The country does not plan to accept Carnets for commercial samples, postal traffic, goods for transit or unaccompanied goods.

Pakistan formally notified the World Customs Organization in June 2004 that it had ratified the Istanbul Convention of 1993, a single international instrument that combines all existing conventions on temporary importation.

Carnets are accepted in over 75 customs territories and can be used for multiple trips during a one-year period.  The global ATA Carnet system is overseen by the Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce.  USCIB administers the Carnet system in the United States, working with service providers Roanoke Trade Services, Inc., and the Corporation for International Business.

In 2006, over 150,000 carnets were issued worldwide, covering goods valued at almost 15 billion dollars.  Iran and Chile were the most recent countries to join before Pakistan, further opening up trade in Asia and Latin America.

USCIB promotes an open system of world commerce.  As American affiliate of the leading international business and employers organizations, including ICC, it provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide.  USCIB facilitates international trade by issuing and guaranteeing ATA Carnets, by promoting international cooperation in such areas as customs policies and commercial dispute resolution, and through its ICC Books USA unit, which publishes a variety of publications on to international trade and investment.

More on USCIB’s ATA Carnet Export Service

Pakistan National Chamber of Commerce and Industry website