Felix Zeller: I started my training as a forwarding agent at DHL Freight in Maintal in 2011 and then the opportunity arose through a contact to start at Gerlach. In the meantime, I completed a degree in business administration.

When I started at Gerlach, the customs issue was completely new to me. I had had little contact with customs before. Through experienced colleagues and according to the motto “learning by doing”, I was able to acquire the knowledge.

Today, I am the head of customs clearance at the Frankfurt/Main location, and at the same time I train apprentices here at our branch.

Gerlach: What do you like about your work at Gerlach and especially in the customs department?

Felix: In the area of logistics and customs, you experience trade at first hand. And above all, you come into contact with many current topics.

Last year, for example, in connection with the pandemic, we took over the import of masks. Or I remember cases and exports of dual-use goods for the German armed forces. Those were very complex procedures.

At Gerlach, I also see myself to some extent as a translator between the customers and the customs authorities. Often, for example, the clients don’t know what customs consequences their handling entails. Terms and procedures such as inward and outward processing, for example, are not known to everyone. You have to listen very carefully and help the customer choose the right procedures.

Gerlach: Why do you recommend that young people start working for customs?

Felix: If you want to do an apprenticeship in the field of forwarding and logistics services, customs is certainly demanding from a technical point of view. It is the supreme discipline within logistics – I would say. And you can’t do without customs. All large companies operate globally today.

If you choose Gerlach and customs as your focus, I see many opportunities for development. De facto, customs experts are rare on the market. In addition, we as Gerlach are internationally active and are looking for professionals with customs knowledge in many countries.

The important thing is to enjoy the subject and be open to it. The rest you learn as you go along.

What is UCC?

UCC, stand for Union Customs Code; it replaced existing Community Customs Code (CCC) as of May 2016. One of the key changes being introduced under UCC is the move towards a paperless Customs environment – allowing all changes of information to be made electronically. The implementation of the required electronic systems is intended to be done by 2020.

One of the new features that are introduced under the UCC is Centralised Clearance.

Centralised Clearance at Import

Centralised Clearance at Import – formerly known as Single Authorisation for Simplified Procedures (SASP) – allows Economic Operators with an AEO status to declare goods on one Member State (supervising Member State) while the goods are imported or exported in a different Member State.

It also allows to centralise the accounting and payment of Customs Duties for all customs transactions in the supervising Member State. This centralisation brings savings in administrative and transaction costs for companies.

However the AEO status is a prerequisite. The value of AEO is strongly upgraded within the Centralised Clearance discussion.

It was intended to start Centralized Clearance by 2020. However, not all member states are ready yet and consequently the implementing phases are moved forward till Q4 2021.

The biggest obstacle for the implementation is the VAT handling, i.e. Enterprises need to have a VAT registration in the member state where import entry takes place or should be represented by a fiscal representative which causes additional cost. Even the difference between treatment of VAT at import in one member state can be different from the other i.e. in the Netherlands the levy of import VAT to the VAT return is possible which saves cash flow; this is not possible in most other EU member states.

We see great simplifications and opportunities coming with the implementation of Centralised Clearance at Import.  As a company in the field of Customs we are following the development in this area very closely, to be able to advise our customers in the best possible way and to make the necessary preparations in our operational set-up.

If you want to know more, please get in touch with us.

As a reminder, the description of the goods must enable the customs authorities to identify the goods unambiguously. This can be achieved by the following means:

• Detailed description of goods (quantity, type)
• Specification of special features such as serial numbers
• Include an invoice / consignment note if this contains the description of the goods

Since in the future we can expect increased or more frequent checks on the description of goods in transit, attention should always be paid to the correct customs declaration. This is the only way to avoid potential problems due to rejections and the delays that may result.