New Phased Approach for CDS Welcomed
3 October 2023
HMRC revised its plan for the migration of businesses export declarations to the Customs Declaration Service (CDS), by announcing a new phased approach on 23 August 2023, in response to feedback from industry.
In phase one, HMRC will support a number of selected businesses (“high-volume declarants”) to move to CDS for exports by 30 November 2023. Traders who are able to move to CDS by that date will be contacted during September by HMRC or its software development partner.
In phase two, the remaining declarants will move to CDS for exports by 30 March 2024.
The government says that this phased approach will enable HMRC and its partners to better support export declarants in making smooth migrations to CDS. It will also allow for further performance testing and analysis during implementation.
CDS has been running since 2018, and is already used for making declarations for UK imports. It is designed to provide businesses with a more user-friendly, streamlined, system than the previous Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF) service, along with an increased level of functionality.
Quoted on a government website, Amanda Francis, Chief Executive of the Association of International Courier and Express Services (AICES) said:
“AICES supports HMRC’s pragmatic decision to revise the timetable for CDS exports migration. We also welcome the level of stakeholder engagement and the recognition that express operators need sufficient notice and time to ensure a smooth transition from CHIEF to CDS.”
Chamber International’s director Tim Bailey commented, “We’re pleased to see that HMRC has listened to the concerns raised by industry bodies including the British Chambers of Commerce and adjusted its timetable for the rollout of CDS for exports. The extended deadline is helpful, but we would urge exporters to begin preparations as early as possible to get ahead of the deadline.”
Chamber International is running workshops to help exporters prepare for the change. Workshops for help with CDS for importers also available.
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