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      Why has CHIEF been replaced?

      CHIEF is the customs declarations system that has been used by HMRC for decades. Because of its age and complexity, it was not practical to try to adapt CHIEF to comply with EU customs requirements set forth in the Union Custom Code (UCC). CHIEF’s replacement, CDS, is a flexible, modular platform that is built to scale with the growth of international trade. According to the Directors General for Borders and Trade at HMRC, “CDS is a key part of the government’s plans for a world-leading fully digitised border that will help UK businesses to trade and to prosper.”

      When will the switch to CDS take effect?

      Imports using CDS

      As of 31 October 2021, all imports from Rest of World (RoW) to Northern Ireland need to be declared using CDS.

      Following the closure of CHIEF imports on 30 September 2022, the requirement to file declarations using CDS extends to all imports into the UK.

      Exports using CDS

      As of 4 June 2024, businesses need to switch to CDS for exports. After this date you will no longer be able to submit customs declarations through CHIEF. 

      We are excited to mention that all of our GB customers have been fully migrated to CDS 3 weeks before the June deadline!

      Further changes from CHIEF to CDS

      C4T Emoji_Tick1_Yellow Purple
      UK Trade Tariff changes

      CDS requires a more extensive data set than CHIEF. While there are consistencies between several of the essential CHIEF/CDS code lists, there are also some which differ, e.g., port codes. In addition, a number of new CDS code lists will be introduced.

      One key point to note is that CDS uses a new structure for CPCs, allowing for more than one 3-digit Additional Procedure Code to be reported in Data Element 1/11. Some of the basic codes may translate across from CHIEF in the same format, e.g. 40 00 000, but others will differ.

      Review the Trade Tariff Tool, which has been re-designed for use with CDS, providing access to both the UK Integrated Tariff and the Northern Ireland Tariff.

      C4T Emoji_Delivery_Yellow Blue
      Payment processing

      The way declaration payments are processed will change in CDS, and you will need to make changes to your current payment methods.

      More information can be found in our blog post on CHIEF to CDS: one platform for all UK imports and exports.

       
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      Country codes

      The country code ‘EU’ is no longer an option for the country of dispatch/country of origin and the proper country code will need to be used, e.g., FR for France.

      C4T Emoji_Tick1_Yellow Purple

      UK Trade Tariff changes

      CDS requires a more extensive data set than CHIEF. While there are consistencies between several of the essential CHIEF/CDS code lists, there are also some which differ, e.g., port codes. In addition, a number of new CDS code lists will be introduced.

      One key point to note is that CDS uses a new structure for CPCs, allowing for more than one 3-digit Additional Procedure Code to be reported in Data Element 1/11. Some of the basic codes may translate across from CHIEF in the same format, e.g. 40 00 000, but others will differ.

      Review the Trade Tariff Tool, which has been re-designed for use with CDS, providing access to both the UK Integrated Tariff and the Northern Ireland Tariff.

      C4T Emoji_Delivery_Yellow Blue

      Payment processing

      The way declaration payments are processed will change in CDS, and you will need to make changes to your current payment methods.

      More information can be found in our blog post on CHIEF to CDS: one platform for all UK imports and exports.

       
      C4T Emoji_Asterisk_Yellow

      Country codes

      The country code ‘EU’ is no longer an option for the country of dispatch/country of origin and the proper country code will need to be used, e.g., FR for France.

      UK Customs Compliance made easy with CAS

      Are you thinking, “I’ve had enough of all these changes. Why can’t this be easy?” We’re glad you asked. That’s where CAS comes in. CAS is our digital customs management solution with legal compliance built in. We stay ahead of the curve so each change that happens is compliant with HMRC requirements and the EU Multi-Annual Strategic Plan (MASP) for the Standardisation of Customs. This way, your goods will continue to ship without delay. And CAS does this at a fraction of the cost of working with a customs broker.

      For CAS customers, the switch to CDS will be relatively seamless, as both CAS and CDS align with the UCC data model. Each C4T customer’s data will be checked and, if any minor changes are needed, a migration plan will be outlined.

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