Brexit
On 31 January 2020, the UK has left the EU, starting the transition period which will end on 31 December 2020. In anticipation of the new trade environment after this date, new IT systems are being created and integrated with existing ones right now.
We at A Softer Space don't know much about politics, but we do know a thing or two about IT systems - and we are here to help, first of all with a glossary of terms that might become important for you to know real soon.
General Terms
ATA .. Admission Temporaire / Temporary Admission system, see: WCO ATA webpage
ATA carnet .. International customs and temporary export-import document in the ATA system, see: gov.uk ATA carnet webpage
Defra .. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, department of the UK Government
EU .. European Union, consisting now of 27 member states
FCA .. Financial Conduct Authority, an independent financial regulator in the UK
HMRC .. Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, department of the UK Government
RPA .. Rural Payments Agency, executive agency of Defra
UK .. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
VAT .. Value Added Tax
WCO .. World Customs Organisation
WTO .. World Trade Organisation
Core IT Systems
ALVS .. Automatic Licence Verification System
CCS-UK .. Cargo Community System-UK, UK's electronic air cargo community and system containing data exchange switch and database, see: CCS-UK website
CDS .. Customs Declaration Service
CHIEF .. Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight system, pre-existing IT system of HMRC recording the movement of goods by land, air and sea
CSP's .. Community System Providers (five independent trade systems)
EMCS .. Excise Movement Control System, aimed at all Excise businesses who are currently involved in the movement of goods in/under duty suspense
FAS .. Flexible Accounting System
GMS .. Guarantee Management System
GVMS .. Goods Vehicle Movement Service, new central IT system introduced by HMRC for handling the international movement of goods
ICS .. Import Control System, provided for the use of traders responsible for bringing goods into the EU that require Safety & Security checks and therefore ENS
MSS .. Management Support System (an interfacing database with the CHIEF system)
NCTS .. New Community Transit System, a basic, free to use service, suitable for low volume users
NES .. New National Export System for traders to submit (3rd country) Export Declarations to the CHIEF system
Trade Tariff .. Allows you to look up commodity codes, duty and VAT rates in the UK, see: gov.uk Trade Tariff webpage
Further IT Terms
ACP go .. Precursor to CCS-UK
AIS .. Advance Information System, module for CCS-UK
API .. Application Programming Interface, an interface offered by one software product enabling another piece of software to communicate and integrate with it
CCS RO-RO .. Module for CCS-UK
DTI .. Direct Trader Input, a link to CHIEF
EDCS .. Electronic Data Capture Service
EDIFACT .. Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport
ENS .. Electronic Entry Summary declarations, aka safety and security declarations, processed by ICS
GMR .. Goods Movement Record (generating gmrId and containing MRN, ERN, DUCR, EORI, ATA and TIR) - for more info, see GVMS API
IDMSX .. Hierarchical database system used by CHIEF
LACES .. Precursor to ACP go
Safety and Security declarations .. See: ENS
TIS .. Technical Interface Specification, e.g. for ICS
VME .. Proprietary, yet open, operating system on which CHIEF runs
Web Dec .. Web Declaration
Identification Numbers
Commodity Code .. A number containing 6, 8 or 10 digits (6 digits worldwide, 8 or 10 for trading within the EU.) Based on this number, the necessary customs dusties can be looked up as well as the presence of preferential treatments, restrictions or prohibitions for import, transit and export.
DUCR .. Declaration Unique Consignment Reference, main reference key to any CHIEF declaration, see: gov.uk DUCR webpage
EORI .. Economic Operators Registration and Identification number, needed to move goods between the UK and non-EU countries, and from Jan 2021 to move goods between UK and EU, see gov.uk EORI webpage and europa.eu EORI webpage
ERN .. Employer Reference Number, aka Employer PAYE Reference
Government Gateway user ID .. Identification number needed to register for using GVMS
MRN .. Movement Reference Number, issued by ICS
SIC code .. Standard Industrial Classification code
TIR .. Transport International Routiers, see: gov.uk TIR newsletters
UTR .. Unique Taxpayer Reference
VAT number .. Identification number for VAT purposes
Forms
C515 .. Bulk importer details form
C515A .. Bulk exporter details form
C88/ESS .. Export Security Single Administrative Document
C89 .. Value build-up sheet
SAD .. Single Administrative Document, refers to C88 1-8 and C88A, see: gov.uk SAD webpage
Procedures
CFSP .. Customs Freight Simplified Procedures, see: gov.uk CFSP webpage
Fallback .. Procedures to be used if CHIEF system and/or the local computerised inventory control systems are not available
Long term procedures .. Fallback procedures in case of system unavailability of over 24 hours, do not require the declaration information to be keyed in
PEACH .. Procedure for Electronic Application for Certificates
Short Term procedures .. Fallback procedures in case of system unavailability of up to 24 hours, allow for the manual clearance of goods during fallback but require that the declaration information is later keyed into the computer system
Other Terms
AEOC .. Authorised Economic Operator for Customs Simplifications
CIE .. Customs Input Entry
CTC .. Common Transit Convention
EPU .. Entry Processing Unit, see: gov.uk EPU webpage
FEC .. Front End Credibility in the CHIEF system
INF .. Information sheet
MIB .. Merchandise in Baggage
PAYE .. Pay-as-you-earn tax
TAD .. Transit Accompanying Document