Small Business Exporters Association

MEMBER CENTER

Trade lead databases: Gain access to trade leads through our trade lead links

Export financing: Exclusive financing programs available to SBEA members

Discount shipping: Low-cost international shipping programs

Member Login
Username:

Password:

Forgot password

The Small Business Exporters Association is a council of the National Small Business Association. SBEA members are entitled to all of the benefit programs offered by NSBA.

SBEA members can obtain discounted “merchandise passports”

July 1, 2005

If your foreign customers like to see or try before they buy, you may face hassles in honoring their requests. Foreign customs officials often demand import duties on all goods, even merchandise that you intend to take back out of the country. And U.S Customs officials frequently want proof that your merchandise came from this country and wasn’t purchased abroad.

Now SBEA can help you bypass those hassles.

USING A CARNET

The best way to move transiting merchandise through a country duty-free is to use a “carnet” (pronounced car-NAY). A carnet is a certificate that functions as a “passport” for merchandise.

Carnets that are officially recognized by the World Customs Union are called “ATA Carnets” (for “Admission Temporaire / Temporary Admission”). ATA Carnets are honored in about 50 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania – including the United States, the entire European Union, Russia, countries in North Africa, the Middle East and Southern Africa, China, Japan, South Korea and Australia. ATA Carnets are not honored in Latin America, however.

For "temporary-entry" merchandise, ATA Carnets eliminate all VAT tax payments, as well as requirements to register goods with Customs and post security deposits. Many countries will accept proof of a carnet in advance of your arrival. This further simplifies entry for you and your merchandise.

MERCHANDISE COVERED BY THE ATA CARNET:

Virtually all goods, personal and professional, including commercial samples, professional equipment, and goods intended for use at exhibitions and fairs.

Ordinary goods such as computers, tools, cameras and video equipment, industrial machinery, automobiles, gems and jewelry, and wearing apparel.

Extraordinary items, for example, fine art, circus animals, aircraft, musical instruments, racing yachts, satellites, etc.

Carnets do not cover: consumable goods (food and agricultural products), disposable items, or postal traffic.

SBEA'S NEW ATA CARNET BENEFIT:

Through our new arrangement with an ATA carnet provider, SBEA members will receive:

• Discounted carnets

• Free overnight shipping (within the US)

• A free helpline, open 24/7/365

• A highly informative website

SBEA members will also receive a free printed and bound guide, with the SBEA logo on the front cover, providing

• tips on using your ATA Carnet in dozens of airports, with contact information for Customs personnel in those airports, and

• a list of questions and answers about carnets, as well as words and phrases relating to carnets, translated into 10 languages.

This terrific package is NOT AVAILABLE from any other broad-based association in the U.S.

To obtain this great money-saving and HASSLE-SAVING new SBEA member benefit, go to our Member Center on this website and click on the links provided. Or call the SBEA office for more information.

If you’re not already an SBEA member, this is another good reason to join!

Printer friendly version | E-mail this article