Prior to today, the Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF) was due to be replaced by the Customs Declaration Service (CDS) later this year, with exporters having to start using CDS by 31 October 2023.
However, HMRC have now confirmed a delay for all exporting businesses.
Initially, “selected high-volume declarants” will be asked to use CDS only from 30 November 2023. For the vast majority of businesses, they will be required to use CDS, rather than CHIEF, by 30 March 2024.
The hope is that through the phased approach, HMRC and their delivery partners can build on the existing IT testing and be in a position to better support businesses when they migrate to CDS.
Remember if you already import products, or are looking to start importing, then import declarations have been required to be completed using CDS since autumn 2022.
