Over the recent holidays, I was having a discussion with my wife regarding how different cultures celebrate and which days are the most important. Being American, my family has always placed a certain emphasis on Christmas Eve. We have dinner together and open one present that evening, while reserving Christmas Day for a leisure breakfast, late lunch, and a trip to the cinema in the afternoon. My wife is Colombian and had a different experience growing up. In Colombia, they do not do a lot to celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve; all of the festivities take place on Christmas Day. Since we recently moved to the UK, we were both looking forward to the emphasis on Boxing Day.
The European Commission, however, has let us know that they celebrate Christmas on December 29th and provided the trade industry with the gift of the Union Customs Code, Delegating and Implementing Acts. The Union Customs Code replaces the Community Customs Code with the goal of modernizing processes and regulations to match up to today’s business climate and technology. The Union Customs Code is effective May 1st, 2016, but implementation is going to be phased over three years.
The regulatory background for the new EU wide rules are included in the Union Customs Code, Delegating Acts, and Implementing Acts. Now that the text of these documents have been confirmed and published, EU countries will begin drafting Customs Notices to digest and advise the trade on these new rules.
So, if you’re anything like me, you’ll be spending your next few evenings wearing those new slippers you opened on Christmas Eve and leafing through these new regulations. You can find the new regulations for the Union Customs Code and the Delegating and Implementing Acts online. And, as always, if you have any questions about what you find, please do not hesitate to reach out to Tradewin.
