The licensed customs representative
In the world of international trade, the licensed customs broker plays an essential role. This professional, whether an individual or a company, specializes in handling customs procedures on behalf of others. To provide this service, the customs broker must be registered with the relevant authority, usually the French Customs and Excise Department.
These brokers anticipate difficulties that may arise during the movement of goods. By using their services, customers are relieved of the complexities of regulatory compliance. In addition, these professionals offer consultative support, streamlining export and import processes.
Roles and responsibilities of a licensed customs representative
As part of its activities, a licensed customs representative provides a full range of services to its customers, including :
- Organizing transport by road, sea, air or multimodal means.
- Development of logistics strategies for the transportation of goods.
- Use of appropriate services to ensure the legality of transport.
- Management of formalities and handling operations.
- Preparing and obtaining the necessary documents, such as declarations and goods presentations.
- Providing customers with the necessary advice.
Examples and practical application
A registered customs representative has two distinct mandates:
- The direct customs mandate: in this case, the broker carries out customs clearance operations on behalf of a third party.
- Le mandat douanier indirect : dans ce cas, le courtier gère les opérations en son nom propre tout en exécutant le service pour le compte d'un client.
Registration as a customs representative
The Union Customs Code (UCC) introduced the concept of a registered customs representative. Since May 1, 2016, people registered as customs representatives have been able to carry out customs formalities. Since January 1, 2018, anyone carrying out this activity, directly or indirectly, must be pre-registered. The registration procedure involves the presentation of various documents.
This registration leads to Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) status, a European benchmark for customs competence. It is important to note that existing Authorized Customs Brokers automatically obtain the status of Authorized Customs Representatives. This allows them to continue to carry out customs declarations and related procedures on behalf of others.
Registered customs agents in figures
In France, around 800 operators are authorized to handle customs formalities.
Regulatory framework
- Decree of December 22, 1998 on persons authorized to declare goods at retail and to carry out the activity of customs broker.
- Order of April 13, 2016 on customs representation and the registration of customs representatives.
- Circular dated June 14, 2018, describing the procedures for registering and monitoring registered customs representatives.
Source : https://www.cevalogistics.com/fr/glossaire/commissionnaire-en-douane-agree
