Customs valuation is a key concept in the world of international trade, influencing both the basis of import duties and taxes, and the economic competitiveness of companies. This article aims to shed light on the rules surrounding customs valuation, focusing on the importance of the Customs Valuation Opinion (CVO). Thanks to personalized expertise, this tool not only helps you to master the regulations, but also to optimize customs valuation, making it a performance lever for your company. By securing your business operations, this article will guide you through the complexities of determining customs valuation and highlight its essential role for your business.

Understanding customs valuation

Customs value is a key concept in international trade, determining thebasis for importduties and taxes. This value, calculated on the basis of the total cost of goods on arrival at the border, includes the purchase price, transport costs, insurance and other associated costs. Accurate assessment of customs value is crucial, as it directly influences a company's economic competitiveness and regulatory compliance. Errors in this assessment can result in significant penalties and affect commercial reputation. It is essential for companies to fully understand the rules and methods for calculating customs value, in order to optimize their import operations and effectively comply with international customs regulations.

Customs expertise

Customs valuation opinion (CVA)

TheCustoms Valuation Opinion (CVO ) is an essential service offered by the customs authorities to help companies accurately assess their customs value. It offers a personalized diagnosis, tailored to the specific needs of each company, ensuring an accurate and optimized valuation. Using DVA helps avoid costly errors, comply with customs regulations, and maximize tax benefits. In short, DSA is a fundamental tool for securing and optimizing international business operations.

Customized customs diagnosis and optimization

Although Customs does not provide binding information on value, it does offer a customized regulatory expertise service for your customs clearance scheme. The objectives of this diagnosis are to :

1. Determine the appropriate valuation method to apply to your imports, ensuring compliance and efficient customs procedures.
2. Identifying the elements that make up the customs value of your goods is an essential step in ensuring an accurate and optimized declaration.
3. Simplify customs declaration procedures, helping companies to navigate the customs clearance process more easily.

This tailor-made service plays a vital role in optimizing import operations, offering companies expert guidance for more efficient and compliant customs management.

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Securing sales operations

Integrating DSA into reporting processes

As a customs diagnostic and analysis tool, AVD transforms the way companies approach customs declarations. It enables a thorough assessment of customs value, reducing uncertainty and the risk of non-compliance. This proactive approach provides additional insurance against supply chain disruptions, which is crucial to maintaining a smooth flow of business operations. DSA integration also promotes better resource management, enabling companies to reallocate the time and effort saved to more strategic initiatives.

Continuous improvement and innovation thanks to DSA

DSA encourages deeper reflection on import and compliance strategies. Companies are becoming more agile, adapting quickly to regulatory changes and taking advantage of tax optimization opportunities. This dynamic fosters an environment where innovation is not only encouraged, but becomes a necessity to remain competitive. Adopting DSA can lead to closer collaboration with customs authorities, creating a constructive dialogue that can lead to regulatory and operational improvements.

In short, DSA is not just a compliance tool; it's a catalyst for more efficient and innovative management of international business operations.

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Procedure for obtaining a Customs Valuation Opinion (CVO)

To benefit from a DSA, companies must follow a structured approach:

1. Contact the regional customs office: Start by contacting the economic action center of your regional customs office. You'll find all the contact details you need on the official customs website.
2. Provide the necessary documents: Prepare and submit all documents relating to your business transaction. These documents include, but are not limited to, sales contract and invoices, transfer pricing agreement, chosen Incoterm, transport documents, license agreement, as well as customs and trade data from previous years.
3. Consult online resources: For more detailed information on customs valuation and the procedure for benefiting from DSA, visit the customs website at douane.gouv.fr, in the Professionals section.

This approach enables companies to obtain an AVD, guaranteeing a correct and optimized valuation of the customs value of their goods.

Simplification tools

Provisional value authorization

Theprovisional value authorization is an important customs facility, particularly useful in cases where the definitive customs value is not immediately determinable. This mechanism enables companies to carry out their customs clearance operations without delay, even in the absence of certain key information.

In practice, this means that a company can declare a provisional customs value, on which duties and taxes are calculated and paid. This step is crucial to keeping import operations running smoothly.

The regularization stage, which follows the initial declaration, is just as essential. Once the missing information has been obtained, the company must contact its customs office to adjust the customs value.

To obtain this authorization, companies must contact their local customs office or economic action center. Authorized traders benefit from simplified procedures.

Withoutprior authorization, the declaration of an incomplete value may be interpreted as a false declaration, underlining the importance of following the appropriate procedures.

Adjustment authorization

Adjustment authorization is an effective solution when the details needed to calculate the customs value are not fully available at customs clearance. This approach enables an adjustment rate to be established, which is applied to the price of the goods at the time of each import declaration. Based on stable and predictable import data, this method ensures a definitive customs value, eliminating the need for future adjustments.

Valid for one to three years, this authorization is issued by the COMINT3 office of the French Customs and Excise Department. It involves the submission of a form specifying how the adjustment rate is calculated and the goods concerned.

It is important to stress that, although based on the information provided, theadjustment authorization does not dispense with subsequent checks, and the evaluation criteria for obtaining it are similar to those forAEO authorization. This reinforces compliance and accuracy in the customs declaration process, offering greater legal certainty for companies.

Towards greater control of customs operations

Our exploration of devices such as DVA, provisional value and adjustment authorizations reveals a significant evolution in the management of customs operations. By offering greater control and flexibility, these tools mark a turning point for companies in international trade. By adopting a combined strategy with RTC, RCO and EA status, companies can confidently anticipate and navigate the regulatory universe, boosting their competitiveness and opening the way to new opportunities.