New requirements when sending international items
New requirements when sending international items
Why should you provide this data?
With the international trading landscape changing significantly over the past 12 months, providing the correct customs data is more important than ever. Customers currently providing electronic customs data experience fewer delays, fewer returned or destroyed items, and fewer recipient complaints as a result.
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Making sure you’ve provided the correct information
You need to provide:
- Either a CN22 or CN23 form printed and attached to the item, completed fully and correctly.
The type of form you need to fill out depends on the value of the items you are sending. Please make sure you use the correct one:
- For items with a value up to £270 use customs declaration form CN22 (pdf, 394.05 KB)
- For items with a value over £270 use customs declaration form CN23 (pdf, 227.98 KB). It should be attached using the plastic wallet available from Post Office® branches
- UPU compliant S10 barcode (unique Royal Mail 13-digit item identifier) attached to the item.
- Tracked export goods will also need a 2D Tracked barcode.
In addition, the information on the CN22 or CN23 form will now need to be provided electronically in the pre-advice you send us.
Filling out your CN22 (pdf, 394.05 KB)
Filling out your CN23 (pdf, 227.98 KB)
Franked items (excluding correspondence) that do not have a S10 barcode attached may be delayed, or even returned to the sender. We want to ensure that this does not happen to you and that franked items meet international mail standards for goods being sent abroad. We will provide you with the barcodes, and you can order more labels from our shop.
If you need further information please visit: www.royalmail.com/international/on-account-and-franking.
Electronic customs data is required to make sure existing, emerging and future legislative, security and customs requirements overseas are met. The Universal Postal Union (UPU) requests that the customs forms are completed accurately and in full, to enable rapid clearance. Since 1 January 2018, it has been a requirement to add a S10 barcode on every item; you now also need to provide the CN22 or CN23 form to us electronically.
Some countries are now applying penalties and delaying or returning items that are sent without the required electronic data and physical S10 barcode attached.
The EU's Import One Stop Shop (IOSS) can help you start, or continue, trading from GB into the EU. You can either register and file your own tax returns, or we can assist you to do so, via the new IOSS Registration and Filing Service offered by Deloitte, or if you don't want to register yourself, we also have Taxamo Assure, an innovative pay-as-you-go solution which is perfect if you simply want to concentrate on selling.
For further details about IOSS and how Royal Mail can help, please visit our main Import One Stop Shop (IOSS) page.
Some key country requirements
The US Senate recently passed the STOP Act (‘Synthetics Trafficking and Overdose Prevention Act of 2018’), to help stop dangerous and illegal goods being posted through US borders. This new legislation will make sure that items sent to the USA from overseas will receive consistent and effective screening before clearing customs. The reform requires the United States Postal Service (USPS) to receive ‘Advanced Electronic Data’ (AED), from senders, on the contents of international items before they reach the US.
This legislation will bring the requirements currently enforced on private shipping companies to the US Postal Service. For example, private shippers like UPS are already required to provide AED on every item they import into America. The bill will eventually require USPS to supply AED to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on all international items, with USPS liable to refuse shipments or face civil penalties themselves.
As well as delivery implications, the bill will eventually establish a new fee on items being mailed to the United States from overseas, to cover the cost of additional processing.
Brazilian customs are prioritising postal items with electronic customs data over those without, as a result of a large increase in imports. They have also stated that recipients may be charged additional costs in the absence of electronic customs data. Customers have reported severe delays due to customs clearance taking longer, and more recently we have seen parcels being returned when they weren’t carrying a S10 barcode.
As with Brazil, the Federal Customs Service of Russia are prioritising postal items with electronic customs data over items without it. Additionally, Russia have said that items may be returned if they are missing the electronic customs data.
China Post have informed UPU members that complete electronic customs data is required for all postal items. This is to control the flow of inbound and outbound postal items and improve the efficiency of customs clearance on the mainland.
Inbound mail items will be delayed if they lack proper customs formalities, including electronic customs data. China Post will attempt to retrieve this data before items are delivered to the recipient, to comply with local customs authority procedures. Items will eventually be returned if this data cannot be obtained prior to delivery, if the recipient refuses the item(s), or if the items are not claimed within the time frame specified by Chinese Customs. If the item cannot be returned, it will be disposed of in accordance with the relevant provisions in the Customs Law of the People’s Republic of China.
Turkey have now informed the UPU that items received without the mandatory S10 barcode identifier attached may be returned.
Kyrgyzstan have now informed the UPU that items received without the mandatory S10 barcode identifier attached may be returned.
Managed HS Classification Services
Our Managed HS Classification Service is a tool to help you fill out the Harmonised System codes (known as HS or Tariff Codes) on your CN22 and CN23 forms and helps you to remain compliant with export prohibitions and restrictions. We can assign codes to items in your product catalogue to make things easier for you.