Managing the cost of making customs declarations: are software solutions the future?
Customs declarations software
Jessica Yang
Director, JY XBorder Consulting LLC, Switzerland
Toby Spink
Director, BKR Consultants Limited, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Published 07 Apr 2021

Photo by Elson Liu on Unsplash
How much does it cost? When goods cross a border, customs formalities must be completed. Customs brokers help businesses complete these formalities. In the UK, £32.50 per declaration is HMRC’s estimated cost of this service, but in reality, the price tag can be as high as £150 per declaration. For businesses trading between the UK and the EU, this is an additional cost of Brexit. Unlike customs duties, this cost cannot be reduced by using the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement. Many businesses are considering completing customs declarations in-house with the help of software solutions. But is this the right option for everyone?