The global economy runs on a delicate balance of supply and demand. Upset this balance, prices of commodities skyrocket, and chaos ensues. With economies heavily dependent on imports and exports, one key component that holds the key to maintaining this balance is the customs clearance process.
Often considered the most significant bottleneck in the world of imports and exports, this process has seen a ton of technological advancements in the form of custom management software.
This blog will closely examine these new customs clearance solutions and see how they bring a welcome change to this space.
The Landscape Before Customs Clearance Software
For a long time, Customs Clearance had always been a manual, paper-based, and time-intensive process.
It started with Importers and exporters having to fill out several forms and send over physical documents such as copies of invoices, certificates of origin, and everything else relevant to the process to the customs office.
Once received, the long-drawn process authenticates all the documentation, calculates all the fees involved (duties and taxes), and issues the clearance permits.
Any mistakes and the process had to start all over again. In short, it was slow and prone to errors, which resulted in delays and increased costs for all parties involved, from the exporter down to the consumer.
Things changed in 2016 with the introduction of the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE). This web-based customs clearance solution allowed importers and exporters to electronically file their customs entries and other related information with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and other government agencies.
How Did Customs Clearance Software Change the Customs Process?
The Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) brought numerous welcome changes and technological advances to the customs clearance process.
It Centralized Information
The customs clearance process involves a complex web of Federal agencies such as the Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to name a few.
Depending on the country of origin and the nature of imports, additional agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) or the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), also come into the fold.
From the perspective of National Security, a single-window centralized customs clearance software makes it easier for inter-agency cooperation to enforce compliance with laws such as the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) and the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).
The ACE system is also set up to send inter-agency alerts if anything suspicious is flagged, allowing the concerned agencies to take prompt action as and when required.
From the perspective of imports and exporters, customs clearance software allows for Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), i.e., the ability to submit any necessary documentation required for the customs process electronically in one central location.
It Streamlined the Customs Clearance Operations
While the overall flow of the customs clearance process remains on the surface, a lot goes on beneath the waves.
For example, specific categories of goods require an FDA Prior Notice, while specific categories of products can apply for clearance under Section 321 customs entry.
The FDA Prior Notice becomes mandatory when certain goods regulated by the FDA are being imported into or exported to the United States of America. It has its own rules and regulations that must be followed to get the FDA Prior Notice approved.
The same holds for the Section 321’s entry requirements. Customs management software streamlines all these processes to reduce the amount of time and labor involved, eliminates any human error, and, as a result, increases the efficiency and accuracy of the customs clearance process.
It Brought Transparency and Improved Compliance
Customs clearance software brought about unprecedented levels of transparency in the customs process. With each customs transaction being meticulously logged and easily retrievable, they ensure that no critical data slips through the cracks, leaving room for exploitation for illegal financial gains. This also eliminated the ability to skirt any compliance requirements in the customs process.
This level of transparency also brought about additional advantages, such as identifying potential bottlenecks and proactively addressing compliance issues.
Customs clearance software also helped all parties stay updated with any changes in rules and regulations surrounding the customs process. With a centralized database, customs officials, logistics providers, importers, and exporters can access the most up-to-date legal requirements.
This, in turn, saves valuable time spent on researching and interpreting regulations and minimizes the risk of costly compliance violations.
The Impact of Customs Clearance Solutions on Business and Consumers
Building on the previous discussion on transparency and compliance, customs clearance software offers businesses and consumers the following benefits:
Impact of Customs Clearance Solutions on Businesses
Businesses enjoy the following benefits of automated customs clearance solutions:
Significant Cost Savings
Any delay in clearing customs is a costly affair for businesses. With faster clearance times, companies can minimize humongous storage and demurrage fees. These eliminated expenses alone can go a long way in improving profit margins.
Improved Operational Efficiency
Customs clearance software has streamlined the traditionally complex and time-consuming process of international trade. With less time spent buried neck deep in paperwork, manual data entry, and keeping up with regulations, businesses can focus more on exercises that drive profits.
They also help reduce the risk of falling out of compliance.
Improved Customer Satisfaction and Reputation
Any delays in the customs clearance process also translate to a delay in delivering goods to the business’s end customers. The transparency and real-time tracking custom clearance software offers go a long way in helping businesses provide accurate and timely updates to customers on the status of their shipments.
Impact of Customs Clearance Solutions on Consumers
Customers also benefit from the use of customs clearance solutions in many ways, including:
Lower Prices of Commodities
The laws of supply and demand are straightforward: when the supply exceeds the demand, prices drop, and vice versa. Customs clearance solutions help streamline the supply of goods coming into the country, which helps keep the process of commodities low.
Businesses, too, tend to pass down the efficiency gains they enjoy with an automated customs process to end customers in the form of cost savings. A win-win situation for all involved.
Faster Delivery of Goods
E-commerce is the form of shopping today. Websites like Amazon and eBay give consumers access to products from across the globe. A streamlined customs clearance process enables faster delivery of goods and offers real-time updates of the product status in question.
For example, Section 321 customs entry allows customers to import one shipment per day valued at $800 or less to enter the U.S. duty-free without formal entry. As this goes through the automated customs clearance process, end consumers can get the products delivered ASAP.
Improved Quality of Available Goods
The customs clearance process is governed by several laws and regulations that enforce strict product quality requirements.
For example, the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 regulates all food, biologics, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, and tobacco products entering the country.
Similarly, the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 focuses on ensuring the safety and security of the country’s food, water supply, and drugs. To do this, all products that fall under the purview of the FDA need to file an FDA prior notice.
All in all, the customs clearance process ensures the safety of end consumers and ensures top-notch quality of the goods available to them.
Summing It Up
Customs clearance software has revolutionized global trade in more ways than one. It has made the process easier, faster, and more efficient, which has cascading benefits that trickle down to both businesses and consumers alike.
For businesses, customs clearance solutions help to reduce costs, improve operational efficiency, and help serve their customers better. On the other hand, consumers enjoy the benefits of lower prices, faster e-commerce deliveries, better quality of goods, and improved health and safety.
In short, Customs clearance solutions are indeed a game-changer. They are the key to unlocking the full potential of global trade and creating a more prosperous and interconnected world.
