The current
COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted supply chains and logistics practices around
the world. It has forced us to take a serious look at end-to-end solutions, globalisation,
and how it works for our businesses. The European Union have made some changes
to customs regulations allowing products specific to the fit against COVID-19 enter
into free circulation more easily.
Customs Duty Relief
For
example, EU Commission Decision (EU) 2020/491 on 3 April 2020 provides for
the importation of goods to combat the effects of COVID-19 from outside the
European Union (EU) without the payment of Customs Duty and Value-Added Tax
(VAT) from 30 January 2020 to 31 July 2020. In addition, critical
pharmaceutical products and medicines were given a Customs ‘ green routing’
to facilitate uninterrupted importation and supply.
In order to qualify for
relief, goods must be imported to combat the effects of COVID-19 and be
imported by one or on behalf of the following organisations:
- State bodies, public bodies and other bodies
- Disaster
- Organisations
governed by public law
- Disaster
- Organisations
Relief Agencies
- Organisations
approved by Revenue including organisations regulated by the state and involved
in the care, support, and treatment of people at risk of COVID-19
For more information on customs reliefs pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic visit the Revenue website
Export Authorisation Scheme
EU
Commissioner for trade Phil Hogan, announced on April 24th that
there would be adjustments made to the Export Authorisation Scheme for Personal
Protective Equipment (PPE). The adjustments require Member States to swiftly grant
authorisations for exports for humanitarian purposes.
Phil Hogan commented: “The scheme
reflects our continuing commitment to protect people’s health and support
humanitarian actions and the needs of our neighbours or trade partners. We have
concluded that a short extension of the export authorisation requirements is
consistent with those commitments. This scheme is also fully in line with our
commitments at the G20: it is temporary, targeted, proportionate and
transparent.”
For an extensive report on the new Export Authorisation Scheme visit the EU Commission’s website
Future proofing
As we come
out of lockdown around the world, we still must be vigilant when it comes to
coronavirus prevention measures including social distancing and regular
handwashing. The narrative in the media is one of a post- Covid-19 world and
how certain things may never be the same. This is in part true, but we will be
living with COVID-19 for the foreseeable future. It is worth noting that no
vaccine has yet been discovered for SARS or MERS. These are both types of
coronavirus.
The tendency towards digitalisation of logistics processes may very well accelerate due to the changes companies experience in 2020. Close physical contact at warehouses, ports and office spaces may become a thing of the past. For more on how to implement new digital processes click here.