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1. WHAT IS AN ATA CARNET?
The abbreviation "ATA" is a combination of the initial letters of the French words "Admission Temporaire" and of the English words "Temporary Admission".
ATA Carnets are international Customs trade facilitation documents issued by the Chambers of Commerce for the purpose of allowing the temporary importation of goods free of Customs duties, taxes, etc and without the necessity of raising bonds or depositing amounts for duty and completing Customs documentation in foreign countries. Carnets permit a simple entry and exit to and from a single foreign country or for numerous multi-destination journeys during the validity of the Carnet. This validity can never exceed one year.
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2. WHAT GOODS CATEGORIES MAY BE IMPORTED UNDER ATA CARNET?
Carnets can be issued for the following categories of goods:
- Commercial Samples and Advertising Film
- Goods for International Exhibition
- Professional Equipment
Theatrical effects are classed as "Professional Equipment" and include musical instruments, sound and lighting equipment, costumes, scenery and other stage properties.
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3. WHICH COUNTRIES PARTICIPATE IN THE ATA CARNET SCHEME?
A Carnet may be issued for the passage of professional equipment between the EU and any of the following participating countries:
| Algeria |
Iceland |
Romania |
| Andorra |
Israel |
Senegal |
| Australia |
Japan |
Singapore |
| Bulgaria |
Korea (Republic of) |
Slovakia |
| Cote D'Ivoire |
Lebanon |
Slovenia |
| Croatia |
Macedonia |
South Africa |
| Cyprus |
Malaysia |
Sri Lanka |
| Czech Republic |
Malta |
Switzerland |
| Estonia |
Mauritius |
Thailand |
| Gibraltar |
New Zealand |
Tunisia |
| Hong Kong |
Norway |
Turkey |
| Hungary |
Poland |
USA |
The EU member states are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Theatrical effects bound for Taiwan are permitted entry under EC/CPD/China-Taiwan Carnet which operates in a similar manner to the ATA Carnet. The Taiwan Carnet covers goods temporarily imported/exported between the EU and Taiwan and the conditions for its use are identical to those of the ATA Carnet.
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4. WHAT IS THE CARNET INDEMNITY SCHEME?
The Carnet provides a guarantee to the Customs of a foreign country into which the goods are temporality imported that all duties, taxes, etc will be paid to them if the conditions under which they allow the goods into the country are breached. The issuing Chamber must receive an equivalent Security Deposit from the Carnet user. This security must be for an amount equal to the highest rate of duty and taxes applicable to the goods in any transit country or country of destination.
The security is generally given through the Carnet Indemnity Scheme. This is an "in-house" system set up between the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry and certain London underwriters, to simplify the means by which the Carnet user can arrange for the Security Deposit to be provided, without having to supply either Cash, Banker's Draft or Guarantee from an approved Bank. A premium is payable to the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry for lodging the Security Deposit.
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5. HOW DO WE OBTAIN A CARNET?
The procedure for obtaining a Carnet comprises:
- Completion of the official application form and payment of the issuing fee
- The lodging of an adequate Security Deposit to cover duty, etc
- Completion of the Carnet forms according to your trip
The Carnet consists of a pair of vouchers for each departure (yellow), visit (white) or transit (blue) and a green front cover. Customs will remove the relevant voucher and endorse the remaining counterfoil as evidence of importation/exportation at each entry/exit.
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6. WILL ANGLO PACIFIC OBTAIN THE CARNET FOR US?
We obtain numerous carnets each year on behalf of our clients and are fully familiar with the idiosyncrasies of the procedures involved. You will be responsible for payment of our fee for obtaining the Carnet, the standard issuing fee and premium for the Security Deposit using the "in-house" system. At the end of your trip we will arrange to return the Carnet to the issuing Chamber and for its ultimate discharge.
To assist our application we will require the following documents from you:
- Letter of Authority from you authorising Anglo Pacific to apply for a Carnet on your behalf. This should be completed on your stationery, signed, dated and returned to us in duplicate
- Letter of Authority from you authorising various representatives of Anglo Pacific and our overseas freight agents to sign and present the Carnet to Customs on your behalf. We will advise the names of the individuals to insert. Similarly, this should be completed on your stationery, signed, dated and returned to us in duplicate
- Carnet Indemnity Proposal Form. Please complete boxes 1,3,5 only (we will complete the remainder); sign and date the form and return it to us.
- Carnet List. This is a complete list of those items you will be taking
Please click on Documentation to download specimen forms referred to above. We will generally require your completed forms no later than 10 working days prior to departure.
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7. HOW SHOULD WE COMPLETE THE CARNET LIST?
To assist with compiling your List we recommend you click on ATA Carnet Template and complete your List in our bespoke Excel spreadsheet, referring to the "hints" tab at the base of the spreadsheet. Then email your List to us as an attachment and we will check and fine tune it prior to submission to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
For further assistance in completing the carnet List click on Specimen Carnet List .
Please note that once the Carnet has been issued the goods on the List cannot be altered.
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