AEO

Practical, pragmatic advice and training

Morley Consulting

email: enquiries@morley-consulting.co.uk

Tel: +44 (0)7841133027

Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Certification

What is an AEO (Authorised Economic Operator)?

An AEO is a company that has proved to the Customs Authorities’ satisfaction that it meets stringent criteria related to any of its operational functions that involved in an international supply chain including customs procedures and processes.

AEO is an internationally recognised quality mark which indicates that the holder’s role in the international supply chain is secure and that their controls and procedures are efficient and compliant.

There are two types of certification
1. Security and Safety
2. Customs Simplifications

In the UK from 1st January 2021 the law on AEO is found in the Taxation (Cross-Border Trade) Act 2018.

The Union Customs Code (UCC) which is EU customs law and contains the AEO regulations, came into effect from May 2016.

Both items of legislation mean that whilst achieving AEO status is not compulsory any company or organisation involved in the global movement of goods that has not achieved this certification may be severely disadvantaged and holding AEO certification will remain an excellent way to ensure a company achieves the best outcome possible for its supply chain.

Benefits for your company

Security and Safety

·         Lower risk score used to determine frequency of physical and documentary checks at borders
·         Fast track through customs controls with priority status
·         Reduction in data elements in pre-arrival / pre-departure declarations
·         Recognised status
·         Industry “Kite Mark” and marketing tool
·         Inclusion in reciprocal / mutual recognition arrangements such as C-TPAT

Customs Simplification

·         Quicker and easier access to simplified procedures such as Customs Warehousing or Inward Processing
·         Accreditation across member states (whilst the UK remains in the EU)
·         Access to special facilitating procedures only available to AEO(C) holders, such as self-assessment

Commercial

·         Reduced incidents of theft or loss in transit
·         Improved security
·         Improved communication with partners
·         Improved customer confidence

. Global recognition as a safe, secure and compliant supplier

. Competitive advantage

How we can help
With specialist experts in both international trade, customs and internal process, controls, audit & standards compliance we are the perfect partner to assist you to achieve the benefits of AEO certification. Our consultants have more than thirty years’ practical experience in their fields and can smooth the process of cross functional integration to achieve your AEO goals.

Our services are fully flexible and can be tailored to your specific needs. We can provide services suitable for companies of all sizes and complexities. Some of the options are listed below - call us today to discuss your needs ! (T) +44 (0)7841 133027

Complete AEO achievement service
Whatever your current status we can design and implement a bespoke programme to enable you to achieve AEO certification

1 Day Workshop
A very useful, practical, popular and cost effective option for clients beginning their AEO journey. Our experts will spend a day with your team walking through the requirements and assessing gaps, risks and required controls relevant to your business and your ways of working. At the end of the workshop your team will have a clear view of actions to be taken, improvements to be made and detailed guidance on successfully completing the AEO Self-assessment Questionnaire.

Readiness review
We can assess your readiness for both HMRC pre-certification audit and subsequent HMRC periodic reviews and assist you in understanding how your existing certification and registrations e.g. ISO 28000, 27000, 9000, Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX), SSAE16, ISAE 3402 contribute to your AEO certification process.

Internal Audit programme design and implementation
We can train your own people to perform ongoing self-assessments to ensure continued compliance and avoid the risk of AEO Status suspension or revocation

Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) completion
We can assist you to complete the SAQ for HMRC submission with your certification application

HMRC Audit management
We can facilitate and organise your HMRC audit to ensure smooth running and maximum efficiency on the day to allow as painless an experience as possible for all involved

Process / procedure mapping and documentation
We can analyse, document and where necessary design process and procedure documentation to meet the requirements of the standard, whilst helping you to keep documentation to a minimum

Internal control assessment, definition and implementation
We can assess your existing controls against the required standard and design and implement new controls if / where necessary. Control areas can include export licensing and CITES compliance as well as customs compliance and on-site security

Risk assessment and management
We can help you to define, assess and manage risks, including appropriate policy and risk register documentation

Security controls
We can assess your existing security controls and suggest required changes and/or additions to meet the HMRC requirements

Tracking and record keeping
We can review, analyse and provide recommendations for effective record keeping and consignment tracking

Training

We are the only company able to offer the unique and globally acclaimed AEO Certified Practitioner course and the Certificate of Customs Competency. Both offer CPD hours and are accredited by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT). Certificate are issued by CILT ensuring industry recognition of achievement and valuable evidence of training and competence for your AEO audit.

We can train your staff in all aspects including Tariff Classification, Customs Valuation, Origin & Preference, duty & tax management regimes, and process and control implementation. Whatever the outcome of Brexit these courses will give you the skills to gain competitive advantage on a global scale.

The following relevant training can be provided as part of our public training schedule. Alternatively we offer all of our courses as a very cost effective in-house option as well as providing bespoke training to suit your particular needs at no extra cost!