DELTA-Conex informs companies

The e-administration « work site » (online procedures such as tax declarations being the most publicised) will very shortly concern French customs, which, in preparation, are completely overhauling their computerised system. Even if the date for the big changeover to the new customs clearance procedures, planned for 31 December 2006, is put back a little, there is a sense of urgency for the key players in international trade. All companies registered with a customs office must meet the DELTA software requirements by the end of April 2007. That is to say, even more so, customs clearance agents, carriers and logistics agents . But to reach this deadline, software modification needs to be done now. “The setting up of DELTA is not a race, however it is essential to be in control of the various aspects so that the start up will take place in the best possible conditions,” affirms Alban Gruson, CEO of the customs software specialists.

For his customers, there will be no unpleasant surprises: the free updates of DELTA-compliant CONEX software will be available in plenty of time.

The acronym DELTA hides a programme that speaks for itself. Dédouanement En Ligne par Transaction Automatisée . ( Online customs clearance by automated transaction .) This application, originally developed internally before being outsourced for further development, at last standardises all the computerised customs clearance procedures both for import and export via the internet. DELTA links definitively the archaic paper procedure still in force and the current computerise procedure, SOFI. DELTA fits in a European vision of customs exchange in complying with the new EU format of the SAD (Single Administrative Document), operational 1 January 2007. What’s more, for companies it represents a leap in quality: free markets and growing globalisation now demand procedures which are fast, safe and low cost, all while preserving the customs policy of fighting fraud.

Initially programmed for 31 December 2006, the changeover to the DELTA procedure will now take place 1 January 2007. On this date, fixed by the European Commission for the implementation of the new SAD (see above), customs procedures will officially become “paperless”. However, a “grace period” ranging up to 30 April 2007, depending on the DELTA procedure at stake, will only just allow companies the liberty to set their own date for the changeover.

For companies concerned by in-house customs clearance, the DELTA D procedure must be in place between 1 January and 30 April 2007. Like this, they can continue operating with their current procedures past 1 January 2007, on the condition that they contact their customs office before 31 December 2006 to fix the exact date for their changeover to DELTA D. For forwarding agents / customs brokers essentially, DELTA C (normal procedure declarations) should become mandatory between 1 March and 30 April 2007. The same obligation applies in that before 31 December 2006, they must declare their exact changeover date chosen within the given range.

For CONEX, one imperative: to inform. So, from January until April 2007 and in order to help lead its around 1000 customers to the right gate for the DELTA takeoff, the software publisher is organising a series of seminars open to company customs declarants and managers. In parallel and arranged through its subsidiary ED (Customs Encyclopaedia), training focusing on regulatory aspects of the Customs SAD 2007 are being offered (open to all).
More information on the websites www.conex.net and www.ed-editions.fr