Reminder: changes to International post Jan 2019

soolin

https://www.royalmail.com/termschanges/

From 1 January 2019, you will be required to provide more electronic data when sending items overseas from the UK

As previously notified since August last year, from 1 January 2019, you will be required to provide customs data electronically when sending items to destinations that are not in the same customs union as the UK (excluding items of correspondence). This customs data is like the information you already provide on the CN22 and CN23 customs declarations forms. Please remember that the Universal Postal Union (UPU) requests that these are completed accurately and in full, to facilitate a rapid clearance.

Please be assured that in the event you are not able to make these changes, you will not be prevented from posting with us and we will continue to work with you to help you be able to meet the requirements. Please contact your Royal Mail Account Manager, Shipping Support or visit the International Data website (details in the last paragraph) if you are in any way concerned about this change, so we can work through the options to get you on board with these changes.

If you are a customer using a franking machine to send items abroad please see for more detail below.

Electronic Customs Data is required to make sure that emerging and future legislative, security and customs requirements in overseas destinations are met. Some countries are considering applying penalties, delaying or returning items in the absence of the required data and we want to help you avoid these. For example, the United States have just passed legislation that will mandate inbound shipments to the USA to be accompanied by electronic customs data, from the end of 2018.

There are however also real benefits to providing complete and accurate electronic customs data as we have seen that customers are receiving fewer complaints, less delays in customs, resulting in faster and more successful deliveries as a result. Over time, you will also be able to access new delivery features, such as enhanced tracking and delivery choice. The provision of electronic data will also be important if the UK leaves the EU customs union under Brexit changes. We will be communicating soon on our Brexit preparations to ensure our networks keep flowing freely post Brexit.

The requirement to provide customs data by attaching a physical Customs declaration form CN22 Opens in new window or CN23 Opens in new window to items you're sending outside the EU is nothing new. What is new is that you'll now need to provide the customs data to us electronically.

soolin

Bump as a reminder

martindow

I think I'm likely to come a cropper with an item I posted to the USA on new year's eve. By the time it gets to the USA the new regulations will be in place.


This is just an item posted and paid for at a PO, but maybe these will still be accepted with handwritten CN22s?

soolin

martindow wrote: »

I think I'm likely to come a cropper with an item I posted to the USA on new year's eve. By the time it gets to the USA the new regulations will be in place.


This is just an item posted and paid for at a PO, but maybe these will still be accepted with handwritten CN22s?

I don't think handwritten labels are a problem, the requirement is to provide additional information online when doing labels- so as you sent this before the new regulations there shouldn't be a problem.

charlies_mum

Will this information be requested on the click and drop site when generating labels ?

soolin

charlies_mum wrote: »

Will this information be requested on the click and drop site when generating labels ?

People are suggesting it will, I have a pop up message on mine but frankly I don't really understand what it's telling me.

charlies_mum

Oh well, at least we can ask each other. I saw the discussion about the new packaging rules for Germany but as my turnover is just short of the £2 million, I am exempt :rotfl:

purple321

I hadn't heard about this, is it just when buying postage online?

soolin

purple321 wrote: »

I hadn't heard about this, is it just when buying postage online?

Frankly I am unsure as I have had various notifications and they are all worded slightly differently, then looking at eBay forums, people are interpreting them differently as well.

I *think* it applies to all online purchases of labels as it is designed to collect additional information electronically when a label is purchased. Therefore it cannot apply in store unless the PO is set up to ask for this when they print a label.

However, whether buying online differentiates between business and private sellers I don't know , as a business seller I have obviously been notified both by post and by pop up messages in my business account but that's because I'm registered with RM, it might not just be because I am a business . The cut and paste from the first post talks about business managers, which suggests it is for businesses only.

However I might be wrong about everything.

I've not had to test it yet, my last overseas item went on New Years Eve so was before the changes. I switched a large amount of my stock to GSP last year after I had a few INRs within a few days of posting from impatient buyers and again I can only assume that eBay will deal with GSP parcels in future based on the sold item details.

soolin

I've just used my business OBA click and drop to print a label for Finland - and nothing at all was different, I had nothing extra to complete or provide. Perhaps it is because it is linked to ebay so they have the information already- except that they don't have the codes or country of origin.

I'm even more confused now.

purple321

It's not clear at all. From most of their announcement it sounds like it's just business sellers or just postage bought online but then says USA have passed legislation that all inbound shipments have electronic customs data which sounds like it applies to all mail. They start saying "you will be required" but then say if you can't you won't be prevented from posting with us.