The Ministry of Business and Employment, in conjunction with the Royal Gibraltar Post Office (RGPO), are pleased to announce the introduction of the latest Customs Declaration System (CDS).
On 1 January 2016, the RGPO launched the UN Universal Postal Union Customs Declaration Kiosk System (CDS) on its webpage to meet the new security requirements for mail items entering the European Union. Effective from the 1 May 2016, the European Union (EU) makes the provision of advance electronic information (AEI) mandatory for postal items entering the EU.
The Customs Declaration Kiosk System is a new tool that offers efficient customer interaction through the customs declaration (CN22/23) data capture process. It empowers RGPO customers, (including private individuals as well as businesses), to provide their postal declaration information in advance.
The kiosk is a web plug-in tool that allows customers to enter Customs Declarations details of a mail item that they are sending directly on the RGPO’s webpage. The customers benefit from the following features:
- Quick address auto population and post code validation
- Easy harmonized System (HS) code selection
- The RGPO’s ability to print the declaration form
- Reduces the time that items spend in overseas Customs
Customers can note the declaration ID at the Post Office workstation or from the comfort of their own home. Customers who send international mail will no longer have to depend on their hand- writing being correctly understood, or, on a single hardcopy of their customs declaration label reaching its destination safely. They can now use the Customs Declaration Kiosk System which will provide their customs declaration data in a quick and accurate manner, while maintaining full control of their declaration.
Once at destination, this information will allow customs to prepare fiscal and risk assessments in advance. It will therefore enable a quick turnaround of the inbound customs process. The Customs Declaration Kiosk System uses the system’s unique postal lookup engine to suggest tariff-codes for the items being sent abroad. The Kiosk will include warnings on prohibitions and restrictions, as well as postal address validation.
In respect of the new system, the prestigious PostEurop News said in its (December 2015, page 22) edition: www.posteurop.org/NeoDownload?docId=455869, Page 22
“The RGPO is one of the postal operators spearheading the revolution, having already integrated the CDS Kiosk on their website. At points of lodging, dedicated customer facing kiosks are being rolled out to enforce the declaration data capture of all international mail items.”
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the UN Universal Postal Union to facilitate in the area relating to the interface between Customs Declaration Kiosk System and HM Customs’ ASYCUDA, where the RGPO is the pilot country. Given the increasingly sensitive aviation safety and security issues facing the global postal network, and in recognition of the Royal Gibraltar Post Office leading in the area on dangerous goods awareness, the RGPO is mentioned in the cover story in the UN Universal Postal Union Postale Publication, yet again giving Gibraltar very positive global exposure, December 2015 / January 2016 No.4 edition, page 8: http://news.upu.int/fileadmin/magazine/2015/en/union_postale_4_2015_en.pdf
The Minister for Business and Employment, the Hon Neil F. Costa MP said: “It is very pleasing that our Royal Gibraltar Post Office is at the forefront of the latest technology currently available. The introduction of the new CDS system means that the current status and location of mail is visible thanks to the mail tracking capabilities. It is not insignificant to note that the Royal Gibraltar Post Office and, therefore, Gibraltar, features in two prestigious postal publications and I wish to thank the excellent work being conducted by hard working and dedicated staff of the RGPO.”
