Clearance is defined as the act of declaring goods, their content, their value and their origin to French . In export conditions, it is conducted at by the person sending the item, so the sender, whereas for import it is done by the French Post Office.
Clearance applies a regime to all goods individually. This regime not only includes duties, but also VAT (Value-Added Tax). For this, the goods’ destination is considered. More specific regulatory procedures can be applied to certain products or formalities (sanitary, phytosanitary, etc.).
The CN23 form is essential for clearance. The stage in clearance involves distinguishing import from export. Import brings goods into the European Union (EU) from countries outside the EU. Export on the other hand, sends goods to external countries from the EU.
There are two types of clearance in France:
The common law procedure, or normal procedure
at destination, or at home (PDD in France)
For import, clearance is a procedure covered by the French Post Office. As such, it resembles the work carried out by . The sender needs to have filled in the CN23 form beforehand, and handed over the invoice for the goods in the case of a sale. If duties are charged, the Post Office advances the amounts payable by the recipient. The latter shall reimburse said amounts upon delivery.
For export, the sender takes care of the whole operation, by sending the CN23 form for all Colissimo packages dispatched with a value of up to €1,000. Generally speaking, clearance means parties are exempted from VAT. The process is completed by the company, or an external service provider known as a broker.
Being a legal or natural person used to working in trade, or an intermediary;
Being in possession of an EORI number (Economic Operators Registration and Identification); The latter (based on INSEE numbers) is used by officers to quickly identify the operators;
Declaring and presenting goods to .
This form of clearance, known as common law or normal procedure, occurs directly in the office. The company must arrive with an electronic declaration, downloaded beforehand via a remote procedure system called Delta C. The office is located:
At the border (port or airport);
At the office closest to the company’s location.
The list of offices can be viewed here www.douane.gouv.fr
Known as at-home or destination clearance (PDD in France), this form of clearance takes place on the company’s actual premises. services are warned, and they deliver a written authorization for this type of clearance. services alone are certified to carry out at-home clearance. This form of clearance is possible both for export and import, regardless of the day or time.
This procedure is carried out via the Delta C procedural platform, so long as three formalities are complied with:
Your electronic data interchange system needs to have been chosen. There is either the DTI (Data Trade Interface) used via the Pro.douane portal; and the (Document Exchange Interface) which is only available using specific software dispensed by a provider;
Your “business line” certification needs to have been implemented. It will arrive once the Delta C remote service agreement has been signed by the locally-competent office;
Procedures for the potential payment of duties and taxes need to have been completed, if applicable.
The request for this procedure is made via the “Appendix 67” form. It can be viewed and downloaded from the Pro.douane website. The required information concerns:
The type of clearance,
The chosen connection mode for the remote procedure (DTI or ),
The location of the company’s premises, whether upon arrival and/or departure of the goods.
The regional division alone is certified to approve this request.
According to the website www.douane.gouv.fr, the 2016 worldwide index for paperless clearance had reached 87%. The offices’ economic action hubs counselled 2,412 companies.
The Union Code (UCC) and its application provisions entered into force on 1 May 2016 (www.douane.gouv.fr website, Professional / Clearance in France tab - Union Code).