Ray Burke
Question:55 Mr. R. Burke asked the Minister for Finance the efforts being made by his Department to simplify bilateral export papers for Irish exporters to non-EU states. [14055/95]
Written Answers. - Bilateral Export Papers.
David Andrews
Question:62 Mr. Andrews asked the Minister for Finance the efforts, if any, being made by his Department to simplify bilateral export papers to non-EU states for Irish exporters. [14135/95]
Tony Killeen
Question:75 Mr. Killeen asked the Minister for Finance the efforts being made to simplify bilateral export papers for Irish exporters to non-EU states. [14101/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 55, 62 and 75 together.
I assume that the Deputies have in mind measures to simplify customs export documentation. In this regard, the documentation required to be presented to customs for exports to non-EU states is governed by EU rules. The normal EU requirement is that these exports must be covered by a declaration on a document known as the single administration document, SAD, and be accompanied by a commercial invoice. Further documentation such as export licences are required in particular cases.
EU legislation provides for simplified declarations to be made in certain situations. I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that they have availed of this provision to allow export consignments up to £500 in value to be exported under cover of a commercial document, such as airline manifests, in lieu of the SAD declaration. The facility is limited to consignments not exceeding £500 in value due to national statistical requirements.
I am further informed by the Revenue Commissioners that they have advised traders that EU rules would also permit the acceptance of simplified declarations for individual export consignments, irrespective of value, subject to the lodgement of a monthly supplementary declaration covering all exports in a particular month. The Commissioners have advised me that so far, there has been no trade demand for this arrangement.
The movement of certain exports to non EU countries via other member states involves the use of documentary control under the Community Transit Procedure. This documentation consists of further copies of the SAD documentation. The transit procedure requires customs in other member states to certify the eventual exportation of the goods from the Union. In order to simplify and improve the workings of the transit system there are plans at EU level to computerise the procedures involved. Ireland had given full support to this initiative and is actively participating in the preparatory work to introduce a computerised system.
In general, I can say that the Revenue Commissioners are keeping the scope for further simplification of trade documents under review in consultation with the Customs Consultative Committee which brings together representatives of Revenue and the trade.