Customs Interactive
Our Services
OUR SERVICES
Our portfolio of services covers all aspects of customs and global trade matters from customs procedures, tariff classification, customs valuation to Free Trade Agreements including origin and preferential measures.
Project Management
Outsourcing of project management can make sense for several reasons, e.g. the lack of internal resources or project management tools,
ongoing quality assurance through an external specialist along with the project or
the requirement to have a project managed by a capacity with a long and proven track record of customs and global trade project management.
We have plenty of years of experience in customs and global trade project management and are prepared to manage your project exactly according to your specification and with the resources required, i.e.
classic or agile Project Management,
Project Management Office (PMO, mainly project coordination) or
Project Management Office+ (i.e. PMO with selective advice, where needed).
Process Management
The basis of an efficient and legally compliant customs and global trade management are documented processes. The process landscape should cover all operational aspects and interfaces as well as the IT systems involved.
Having an audit proof process landscape in place does not only contribute to efficiency and compliance - it can also reduce liability and prosecution risks in case of violations.
Depending on your company's business model, the relevant cross-border transactions and the available and desired degree of organization of your customs department, we help with our experience and expertise to optimize your customs and global trade processes and the organizational structure behind.
Risk Management
Corporate Risk Management Processes in the area of customs and global trade often form part of the required standards of global security initiatives like AEO (Authorized Economic Operator), C-TPAT or similar programmes. A structured approach to evalute the risk potential of customs and global trade processes combined with the implementation of adequate instruments to mitigate risks is the basis to prevent violations and to improve the overall compliance level.
With our lean and tailor-made appoach to inititiate a corporate customs and global trade risk management we help to mitigate existing procedural risks to an acceptable level and to take back process supervision. At parallel, we enable you to fulfill the requirements of the respective Security Initiative / Trade Management Programme if desired.
Customs IT
Customs and global trade related process from sourcing over production to storage and retail become digital and are more and more processed automatedly both internally and with business partners. A smooth transition of respective data towards customs declaration systems or broker interfaces is the logical consequence and ensures efficiency and compliance by avoiding media breaks or manual intermediary step.
Over many years we have gained experience in implementing customs IT applications of different software providers interacting with numerous ERP systems. We see ourselves as bridge between the customs departement, the involved business functions and corporate IT in order to managae your customs IT project target-oriented and in due time.
Free Trade Agreements
Many nations or groups of nations maintain Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) allowing for reduced or zero-rated customs duty rates in case preferentially originating products are about to be imported within the scope of the Free Trade Agreement. However, importers and exports often struggle to fulfill the specific local content requirements and rules of origin which apply to their products in order to qualify them for beneficial treatment. At the same time the economic benefits (higher margins, competitive advantages) of using FTAs are often underestimated or not used throughout the supply chain even though the conditions would have been fulfilled by itself.
Depending on your position in the international supply chain we analyze the potential of FTA benefits . Given our long-term practical experience in the operational management and set up of preferential calculation and integrated sourcing processes and respective IT solutions we help to navigate the FTA jungle and enable you to tap the saving potential.
Customs Benefits
Did you know that there is a lot more than just import and export? - Special customs procedures, duty exemptions and suspensions, incentive programs and other measures can help to reduce the duty burden. By using our specified method of analysis we examine your supply and value chain setup in order to assess what customs benefits you might be eligibile for. As a second step we evaluate potentially required adjustments of your process architecture in order to come to a holistic overview on benefits vs. investments.
We help you identify the potential and enable you to use it. However, we also know that the utilisation of respective procedures and programmes are not an end in itself. - Hence, we additionally put a high focus on the question whether you receive a real return of invest considering the efforts to obtain the benefits.
Public Administration and NGOs
As we have worked in and for customs authorities we know both sides of the table. Within our network we also co-operate with many former customs officers. Our unique setup enables us to understand requirements both of public administration and economic operators in the area of customs and global trade.
Our range of services specifically for the public sector is wide: implementation of effective border management processes, process management within administrative bodies; with regards to IT: concecption and rollout of frontends and interfaces of operators to customs clearance systems / well as coordination between authority and software developer.
Customs authorities, governmental agencies and NGOs are counting on our experience in public administration and industry. We manage your project from the perspective of a customs officer with the velocity of a commercial enterprise.
Trainings and Seminars
In a dynamic field like customs and global trade it is of utmost importance to remain up-to-date with the legal environment and its best practice implementation within the corporate context. Furthermore continued education is very often required from regulatory side or recommendable against the background of supervision duties or liability reasons. Depending on the target group, the training domain and the desired objectives, we combine our technical and didactical expertise and develop a training concept and format tailored to your needs.
In-house trainings, webinars seminars, the participation in or organization of conferences - we offer the whole range of training concepts and formats.
Market Access Strategy
Are you planning to import a product or do you want to establish a distribution structure in the EU?
Customs clearance is one important aspect to consider in this regard as well as setting up an efficient and compliant organizational framework in order
to ensure a competitive advantage and to avoid costly mistakes.
We help you map out and develop a fitting market access strategy from a customs and global trade perspective and support with the practical implementation, e.g. customs clearance setup considering potential cost and duty savings.
Our Approach
Listen and Understand
We love to hear details! - First we listen to you to understand your project and specific requirements in order to frame the scope of our services. Thinking from the end starts with careful listening and a common understanding of the project scope at the very beginnning.
Advise and Optimize
Once we have a clear understanding of the status quo and your objectives we combine it with our specific expertise and experience in order to optimize the target image and close potential gaps. Blueprints of the results to achive build the basis for the next steps.
Design and Plan
Depending on the desired outcome of the project we outline the respective project steps and milestones and agree on a project plan, the details of project management, responsibilities, stakeholders and other contributors.
Execute
This is where the engine starts! - In time and quality we get going and gradually achieve the project deliverables together with you. Depending on the degree of our involvement we manage or coordinate your project or contribute. Nevertheless we remain flexible towards internal or external influencing factors affecting the project spher.
Finalize and Document
Finalization in time and quality are a matter of
course for us. Depending on the documentation level and format required we provide audit proof results which are easy to incorporate in your company's framework of internal regulations: working instructions, process descriptions, workflows or checklists in digital or analog format.
Maintain and Improve
Sustainable process and organizational structures combined with the ability to form or react to a changed supply chain setup or legal framework require the implementation of a monitoring or revision concept. We help to incorporate this aspect in your corporate process environment.
Status Analysis Required?
Basic
1-day-workshop / overall 2 man-days*
Day 1
Basic status analysis of your process and organizational structure OR scenario analysis of your project
Day 2
Summary of findings
Standard
2-day-workshop* / overall 4 man-days
Day 1
Status analysis of your process and organizational structure OR scenario analysis of your project
Day 2
Discussion of findings and joint development of measures
Days 3 - 4
Documentation of results within a status report
Advanced
3-day-workshop* / overall 6 man-days
Day 1
Status analysis of your process and organizational structure OR scenario analysis of your project
Day 2
Discussion of findings and joint development of measures
Day 3
Blueprint of implementation plan of measures
Day 4
Creation of Draft Project Plan
Days 5 - 6
Documentation of results and project approach within a status report or presentation of results
* base price without VAT, travel expenses and other relevant charges | Our consultancy services are subject to a separate engagement letter.
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