Customs, tax & compliance

Customs broker

A licensed specialist who prepares customs declarations on behalf of importers and exporters, declares the classification (HS code), value and origin of goods, calculates duties and deals with the customs authorities. In many countries brokers are licensed by the customs administration and share responsibility for the accuracy of declarations. A good broker saves money through regimes such as inward processing, bonded warehousing, preferential origin and anti-dumping planning.

Related terms

Export declaration

The electronic declaration filed with customs by the exporter or its broker so that goods can legally leave the country, stating the description, HS code, quantity, value, consignee and destination. The closed export declaration is the official proof of export for VAT zero-rating, export incentives and foreign-exchange rules. Under EXW this duty falls on the foreign buyer, which causes practical problems – which is why FCA is usually more suitable.

Freight forwarder

A company that organises transport on the shipper’s behalf: it obtains freight quotes, books space on ships or aircraft, arranges containers, warehousing and trucking, prepares documents and often works together with a customs broker. Forwarders that issue their own bills of lading (house B/L) act as NVOCCs and take on carrier liability. FIATA membership and liability insurance are good indicators when choosing a reliable forwarder.

HS code (Harmonized System)

The World Customs Organization’s goods classification system, used in about 200 countries. The first six digits are the same everywhere (e.g. 3902.10 polypropylene); countries add their own subdivisions – 12-digit GTİP in Türkiye, 8-digit CN and 10-digit TARIC in the EU, 10-digit HTS in the USA. The correct code determines the duty rate, import licences, anti-dumping measures, preferential origin rules and trade statistics. Misclassification can lead to back duties and penalties; where unsure, a binding tariff information (BTI) ruling can be requested.

Explained in the trade handbook

Trade handbook