Learn how to file export declarations for shipments leaving Germany in this post-Brexit economy! For German exporters, shipping to the UK in 2021 post-Brexit negotiations is like shipping to non-European Union countries.
Are you short on time? Jump down to the bottom to optimize your German export declarations.
Because of the Brexit transition period, all export and customs regulations were not changed or affected until Dec. 31, 2020. The beginning of 2021 imposed new customs formalities for all EU nations, including Germany, to follow when trading with the UK.
With the UK being Germany’s fifth top trading partner, it’s crucial for German exporters to know what they need to do now that the Brexit transition is over.
The quick answer is that all goods leaving and entering the UK from Germany are subject to the EU legislation's customs procedures beginning on Jan. 1, 2021.
There is a lot of information on Germany’s Brexit regulation via the German Customs Authority. We’re here to give you the core essentials, which will help you get started on your post-Brexit German customs declaration journey.
If you’ve been trading outside the EU before Brexit, then the process is the same as exporting to non-EU countries! However, if your company still plans to ship to the UK, then you must follow additional customs procedures.
Your first task should be to add the UK to your company’s existing authorizations, in terms of shipping, processing, and storage.
Do your shipments to the UK from Germany meet any of the following conditions?
If your exports match one or both conditions above, you must file export declarations through a mandated e-customs system. The German Customs Authorities require all exports destined outside the EU to be filed through Automatisiertes Tarif-und Lokales Zollabwicklungssystem Zoll (ATLAS Zoll). Additionally, EU regulations apply for all means of transport you decide on.
Because the UK is now no longer part of the EU trade agreement, Germany must treat the UK like any other non-EU nation.
All carriers shipping out of Germany to the UK must carry the EU-mandated Accompanying Export Documents (AED), which can only be granted by German customs authorities. You must file your export declarations through ATLAS Zoll to retrieve the AED and other documents. ATLAS Zoll also serves as a communication system between your supply chain and the German customs office.
Here’s how filing an export declaration through ATLAS Zoll works:
Before you can file German export declarations through ATLAS Zoll, however, you must follow these steps:
For more information, read our guide: Best Practices on How to Export from Germany.
The best practice for filing export declarations from Germany is to automate this process!
Especially for German exporters who run SAP as their enterprise resource planning software, ShipATLAS is the solution for you. ShipATLAS is the German export system software made to simplify your supply chain logistics for shipments made from Germany out of the EU. If you plan to ship to the UK, expedite the customs clearance process with ShipATLAS.
Confidently export your German goods to the UK with ShipATLAS, the customs compliance software. Sign up for a free product demo of ShipERP’s Germany export declarations software now.