International trade and customs FAQs.

The EU Deforestation Regulation stops products linked to deforestation from being placed on, or exported from, the EU market. If you trade certain commodities, you have to prove they are deforestation-free and legally produced, and back that up with a due diligence statement.

Cattle, cocoa, coffee, oil palm, rubber, soy and wood, and the products derived from them. The exact commodity codes are listed in Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2023/1115, and the area the goods come from does not change whether they are in scope.

The regulation entered into force on 29 June 2023. Based on the current timeline, large businesses must comply from 30 December 2026 and micro and small businesses from 30 June 2027. The dates have moved before, so confirm the latest position with us.

A statement in which you confirm you have exercised due diligence on your goods: collecting the necessary information, assessing the risk that they are linked to deforestation, and mitigating that risk where needed. It is the document that lets your goods move.

Evidence that each product is deforestation-free, was produced in line with the laws of the country of production, and is covered by a due diligence statement, including the geolocation of where the commodities were produced. This information must be kept for five years.

They are significant: fines of up to 4% of your annual EU turnover, confiscation of goods, a temporary ban on trading the affected commodities, and exclusion from public procurement and EU funding. The EU has said ignorance of the rules is not a defence.

Yes. We confirm which of your goods are in scope, build the due diligence process, help you gather the information the statement needs, and support you in completing and submitting it, so the EUDR becomes a managed process rather than a last-minute scramble.

We cannot control when customs inspects or releases a shipment, but we can remove the avoidable delays: declarations right before they are filed, problems caught early, and queries handled quickly to keep any hold as short as possible. Fewer corrections and fewer surprises is what makes your lead times more predictable.

Declaration status across Europe in one view, kept up-to-date, with alerts when something needs attention. You see where goods are and where the risk is without waiting for a report or making a call, the same picture across Europe.

We flag the exception as early as we can see it and a named team manages it, the query, the inspection, the missing document, while keeping you informed. The aim is that customs problems get resolved without becoming your operational fire to fight.

We standardise customs around one way of working and fit it to your network rather than force a rebuild. Onboarding is structured, and the Control Tower coordinates it across markets, so you gain consistency without the disruption of changing how everything else runs.

One. We consolidate a network of country brokers into a single partner across the markets we cover, with our own local teams and an alliance network beyond them, all under one operating model. That means one contract, one point of contact and one consolidated invoice in place of many.

Clear and built to how you buy, with per-declaration and outcome-based options, set out transparently rather than buried in surcharges. We agree the model up front so you can compare it like-for-like and budget against it.

Against defined SLAs and a KPI framework agreed with you, backed by performance data, exception reports and regular business reviews. You get the numbers to benchmark us, hold us to account and evidence the category to your stakeholders.

We operate with our own local teams across Europe, AEO authorised, with an alliance network reaching further, all under one standard and one contract. We will be straight about which markets we cover directly and which we reach through partners, so there are no gaps you discover later.

Yes. The Gaston Schul Digital Portal gives your team the status of every declaration, the documents behind it, and alerts when something needs attention, in one place. The information is kept up-to-date, so you can see where a shipment stands without phoning or emailing to ask.

That is the point of it. Declarations are filed for you and checked before submission, so fewer come back as queries. Status sits in the portal rather than in your inbox. And exceptions are flagged early with a named team to handle them, so less of your day is spent reacting.

We flag a problem as early as we can see it, handle the customs query or inspection for you, and keep any hold as short as possible. You get told what is happening and what we are doing about it, rather than discovering it when the goods do not move.

We fit to your process rather than force a new one, and we onboard any change in a structured way, with clear instructions for each market. The aim is for the work to get simpler, not for your team to relearn their jobs.

Yes, without losing oversight. We run the operation and coordinate it through the Control Tower, while giving you board-ready reporting on cost, compliance status and risk. You keep the visibility and the control; you lose the operational detail and the escalations.

Customs becomes a capability rather than a liability: faster, more predictable trade, risk that is governed rather than discovered, and the confidence to enter new markets knowing the customs side is handled. That is the difference between customs as a brake and customs as something you can build on.

Building in-house means recruiting scarce customs expertise, carrying the systems, and owning the regulatory risk across all your markets yourself. We bring the people, the technology and the AEO-authorised operation already in place across Europe, with continuous improvement built in, so you get the capability without the fixed cost and key-person risk.

Because we are independent and privately owned, with 180+ years behind us, our interests are aligned with yours for the long term. There is no outside owner's agenda steering our advice and no short horizon on the relationship, so customs sits on a partner you can build on and keep building on.

More than most finance teams can break down, because the spend is scattered across markets, brokers and invoices. We pull it into one view: duty, import VAT and the cost of errors and rework, so you can see not just the total but what is driving it and where it can come down.

We look for overpaid duty from wrong classifications, unclaimed trade-agreement rates and missed reliefs, and for import VAT that can be deferred rather than financed. Where money is owed back, we make the recovery claim. We quantify the value before you commit, so the saving is a number, not a promise.

Yes. We model landed cost before goods move and report customs spend in one place, often on a single consolidated invoice across the markets we cover, so you can forecast accurately and budget against a number you trust rather than reconcile surprises after the fact.

Because we are independent and privately owned, the advice on your duty and VAT serves your margin, not a sales target or an owner's agenda. What we recommend is what reduces your cost, and the reporting behind it is yours to take to the board.

Yes, we are AEO authorised across our markets, and we run our own operation to that standard. It means the way we handle your declarations, records and controls is built to satisfy the same criteria customs holds you to, which matters when your compliance depends on ours.

We monitor legislation, sanctions lists and environmental regulation as it moves, including CBAM, EUDR and the EU Customs Reform, and translate it into what it means for your specific goods and flows. The aim is that a change reaches you as guidance and a plan, not as a finding after the fact.

Yes. We document the reasoning behind classifications and decisions, monitor declarations against the rules, and keep the records current, so compliance is evidenced consistently across the markets we cover. When an audit lands, the trail is already there to show.

Because we are independent and privately owned, our advice is not steered by an owner's agenda or a push to sell a particular product. When we tell you something is a risk, it is because it is a risk, which is the only basis on which compliance advice is worth anything.

It is the platform used to prepare, submit and manage customs declarations and the data behind them. At Gaston Schul it is more than software you log into: it is the system our own teams use to run your customs, connected to your systems and to customs authorities, with a customer portal on top so you can see and control your part of it. You get the system and the people who operate it.

It comes as part of the service. Rather than licensing a system and running it yourself, you connect to our platform and our teams run the customs on it. You get the automation, visibility and data of a modern customs system without taking on the job of operating one. That is the main difference between us and a standalone software vendor.

Whichever way suits you. Your ERP, TMS or WMS can connect by API or EDI for automated, structured data exchange, you can send batches by secure file transfer (SFTP), or you can upload documents to the portal in any format, CSV, XML, PDF or Excel, or even by email. High-volume flows are usually automated; lighter ones often start with the portal. Connecting does not mean a big IT project: because we take data in almost any format, from a direct API feed to a simple Excel upload, we can have you live in weeks, not months, and your IT team can build the deeper integrations later, at their own pace.

They are three ways in, for different needs. API and EDI are system-to-system connections that automate high-volume data exchange with no manual keying. The portal is the human interface, where your team uploads documents, tracks status and pulls reports. Most customers use a mix: automated connectivity for the bulk, the portal for visibility and exceptions. We help you choose the right balance during onboarding.

Yes to both. We handle data with encryption and security protocols and work to ISO 27000 standards. And your customs data belongs to you: full CSV and raw exports are available on demand, with no lock-in. We are independent and privately owned, with no parent company over us and no outside shareholders, so your data stays yours and what we earn goes back into the platform, not out to a group.

Yes. That is what Gaston Schul's Digital Portal is for: up-to-date declaration status, documents and data across every market we handle for you, in one view, rather than a separate system or contact per country.

Yes. Our own teams cover 14 European markets, with an alliance network reaching further, all on one operating model and one platform. So the same connectivity, the same data standard and the same visibility apply wherever you trade. When that is coordinated by people as well as technology, it becomes our Customs Control Tower

Yes, the Customs Control Tower can accommodate for different customs procedures.

As an AEO-certified provider of customs services, we operate with reliable, measurable delivery standards and highly qualified staff. Gaston Schul maintains dedicated compliance teams in each country where we support our customers. Combined with our data-validation tools, these measures ensure consistent quality, accuracy, and full compliance throughout all customs processes.

The Customs Control Tower ensures consistent compliance with AEO standards and EUR customs regulations, supported by a full digital audit trail. This leads to a reduced compliance risk, faster internal audits, and demonstrable adherence to corporate and legal standards.

Yes, we can consolidate invoices over any desired timescale and/or group geographical regions together to make for a cleaner administrative process.

Gain a single, data-driven customs partnership that delivers clarity, cost control, and predictable outcomes through shared dashboards, quarterly reviews, and transparent governance.

Gaston Schul unifies every declaration, broker, and customs flow through the Customs Control Tower platform, giving Finance one version of the truth for duties, SLAs and spend across Europe. Transparent dashboards restore control and confidence in landed-cost forecasting.

Yes, we have standard models of integration and an IT team that can create bespoke solutions should you need them.

We offer full flexibility in data capture and can work with any data format our customers provide. In addition, Gaston Schul utilizes advanced tools for data enrichment.

Yes, automation with the Customs Control Tower enables near-real-time exception handling with API-based touchless processing. Incident-tracking pilots show up to 40% faster resolution times once full Control Tower integration is active.

There are no specific requirements. In case of Smart Layer Intake (EDI/API/AI) interfaces need to be created for system alignments.

No, you will receive a dedicated Account Manager and Customer Service Representative who will support you with all operational matters and new queries.

Yes, our teams can orchestrate both, declarations produced inhouse as well as from 3rd party customs brokers.

Yes. We understand that best serving your customers often involves the odd shipment into new regions, and we offer support with ad hoc clearances to our existing customers.

We can provide European coverage. Further coverage requirements can be discussed.

The timeline to set up a Customs Control Tower depends on several factors, including the number of countries involved, your declaration volumes, and the complexity of the required system interfaces. On average, a full implementation typically takes between 3 to 4 months.

The Customs Control Tower increases predictability through standardized, streamlined processes across all countries and shipments. By creating full visibility and consistent handling, it prevents unexpected issues and keeps goods moving. This reduces the perception of customs as a roadblock at the start or end of the supply chain.

By centralizing all customs activities within one coordinated model, you create a single source of truth for brokers, local teams, and clients. A unified Customs Control Tower provides shared workflows, standardized procedures, and flow visibility, ensuring everyone follows the same processes. This eliminates fragmented communication, reduces errors, and keeps everyone aligned.

We offer various visibility tools, ranging from manually populated status sheets to digital dashboards.

All declaration data can be included in the reporting. Further enrichments are possible and can be discussed with the Customs Control Tower team.

Yes. The Control Tower provides business-intelligence dashboards that give you clear visibility of your customs activities and their performance. These dashboards display agreed KPIs—such as throughput times, error rates, and financial metrics—and are made directly accessible to you. This ensures full transparency of customs costs, duties and service levels.

Anyone whose work touches customs: declarations and operations teams, supply chain and logistics, finance, compliance, and the people who own customs risk at the top. We pitch each session to the audience, from a practical workshop for an operations team to an awareness briefing for leadership.

Built for you. We start from your trade, your products and your specific gaps, and design the programme around them. The examples are your codes and your routes, so what your team learns applies to their actual work.

At your own premises, live online, or as a hybrid of the two, whichever suits your team and the markets you operate in. We work around your schedule, and as our learning platform rolls out we are adding on-demand courses your team can take in their own time.

The people teaching it do customs for a living. They file the declarations, prepare the AEO applications and sit through the audits, so the training is grounded in what actually happens, not a generic syllabus. And because we are independent, the advice in the room serves your team, not a sales target.

Customs consultancy is expert advice that strengthens how your business handles customs, beyond filing declarations: reducing the duty you pay, keeping you compliant, preparing you for regulatory change, and proving origin to claim lower rates. Gaston Schul both advises and executes, so the advice is applied, not just written.

Clearance is the operational work of moving goods through customs. Advisory is the expertise that makes that work cheaper, safer and more strategic: classification, valuation, origin, duty reliefs, compliance and authorisations. Most providers do one. We do both, under one operating model.

Usually, yes. A broker files your declarations; advisory looks at whether you are paying too much duty, carrying hidden risk, or missing the reliefs and trade agreements you qualify for. The two work best together, which is why we offer both.

Often, yes. We review classification, customs valuation, origin, special procedures and reliefs, and reclaim duty you have overpaid, then tell you which apply to your goods. Correct classification alone is frequently the difference between the right duty rate and an avoidable one.

That is much of what trade compliance advisory is for. We check your procedures, documentation, valuation and screening, close the gaps, and keep an audit-ready record, so a customs audit confirms what you already know rather than uncovering a problem.

With a Customs Health Check. It is a structured assessment of your customs operation that finds your gaps, risks and savings and gives you a prioritised action plan, so any further advisory work is aimed where it delivers most.

Yes. Our own teams cover 14 European markets, with an alliance network reaching further, all under one operating model. So your classification, duty, compliance and authorisations follow one standard across Europe, with one partner accountable for them.

We advise and execute. An accountancy or law firm can write you a customs opinion; we give you the advice and then run the declarations, authorisations and reporting that put it into practice. And we are independent, privately owned, with no parent company over us and no outside shareholders, so the advice serves your business, not a sales target.

Yes. Gaston Schul clears import, export and transit across the markets we operate, and coordinates wider European flows through our alliance network, all under one operating model. We act as your direct or indirect customs representative throughout, so you deal with one partner, not a different broker in each country.

Both. We do the operational customs work, the broker execution, and connect it with advisory, technology, reporting and customs control, so your compliance is easier to manage rather than another thing to chase.

Yes. We can act as your sole customs partner across several markets, or coordinate your existing brokers through a central Control Tower model. The right setup depends on your countries, volumes, systems and risk profile. Tell us your flows and we will recommend one.

Yes. We work as a neutral, independent partner to logistics service providers that need reliable customs execution for their own operations and the customers they serve.

We manage the customs administration of warehousing, the bonded entries, stock records, removals and customs controls, for your own or a third-party bonded warehouse. You keep the warehouse; we run the customs side.

Often, yes, where available and where your setup allows. We can review classification, origin, valuation, special procedures, duty suspension and VAT deferment to find practical savings, and tell you which apply to your goods.

Customs clearance for import declarations, export declarations, transit declarations and customs warehousing, connected to advisory, technology, VAT and fiscal representation, excise and special procedures, and Control Tower support where you need it.

Fiscal representation is when a locally established business handles the VAT obligations of a company that is not established in that country, so the company can import and trade there without setting up its own entity. The fiscal representative takes care of the VAT registration, returns and import VAT, and lets you defer the import VAT at the border rather than paying it upfront. Gaston Schul provides fiscal representation in the markets where we offer it, and confirms which applies to you.

It depends on what you are doing in the market. General fiscal representation works under your own local VAT number, with us as your appointed representative, and supports the full range of activity: warehousing, import, and B2B and B2C sales. Limited fiscal representation is lighter: you trade under our VAT number with no local registration of your own, for import followed by immediate B2B resale or movement of your own goods. Which one fits depends on your trade flows and Incoterms, and we confirm your eligibility before setting anything up rather than defaulting you into the wrong one.

It depends on where you are established and what you are doing. Some countries require a non-EU business to appoint a fiscal representative; in others it is optional but still the simpler route, because it avoids setting up and running a local entity. We work out whether you need to register at all, and whether representation is required or just sensible, based on your specific flows.

Import VAT is usually recoverable, but if you pay it at the border you wait to get it back through a VAT return, and that money is gone in the meantime. Fiscal representation lets you defer or account for the import VAT instead of paying it upfront, so on regular import volumes you keep significant working capital in the business rather than parked with the tax authority.

Yes, in part. A fiscal representative is jointly responsible to the authorities for the VAT it handles on your behalf, which is precisely why it should sit with an established, independent partner that knows both the customs and the VAT. It is also why we set things up correctly and keep them current, rather than treating representation as a formality.

Postponed VAT accounting is the UK's mechanism for accounting for import VAT on your VAT return instead of paying it at the border, and it works differently from EU fiscal representation. If the UK is your question, the detail sits in our UK guidance rather than this pan-European page, and an advisor can point you to the right setup.

No. We can act as your fiscal representative and manage your VAT alongside your existing clearance arrangements, or as part of taking on your customs end to end. Either way you keep trading while we put the setup in place.

Yes. Our own teams cover 14 European markets, with an alliance network reaching further, all under one operating model. So your registrations, returns, deferral and reporting run to one standard with one team, instead of a different adviser in every country. If consolidating that is the bigger question, that is our One partner across Europe solution (links to /solutions/one-partner).

Customs consultancy on VAT is expert advice on import VAT, fiscal representation and the VAT consequences of how you trade across borders. The difference is that we advise and execute, and we do it from inside the customs operation: we are your fiscal representative, we file the returns, and we line the VAT up with the customs entries, rather than advising on VAT in isolation from the goods. And we are independent, privately owned, with no parent company over us and no outside shareholders, so the advice serves your position, not a sales target.

No, and it is the foundation of how we work. Gaston Schul has no freight, no fleet and no warehouses, so we have no reason to approach your cargo owners. We only do customs. Your customer relationships stay yours.

Yes. We can run the customs as an invisible back office under your name, with no direct contact with your cargo owners, strict data separation and NDAs. Your customer sees your service; we sit behind it.

Then we can act as your neutral consultant instead: auditing your brokers, processes and costs with no conflict of interest, and giving you an honest view of what is working and what to change. You decide what, if anything, to hand over.

Fast. We are privately owned, so there are no corporate approval chains or six-month programmes. Most forwarders are live within days, not weeks, with a single point of contact managing it from day one.

With strict data separation and NDAs built into the partnership, so your commercial information and your customers' data stay protected and stay yours. Full data export is always available; your data is your own.

Our own teams cover our European markets, with an alliance network reaching further, all on one operating model and one standard. So you get one partner, one process and one invoice across the countries your customers trade in.

Yes. Narcotic and psychotropic substances need a licence under the national controlled-drugs regime in each market, and we prepare and present those licences at clearance, alongside the dual-use export licences that some reagents and instruments require. The licence has to be right and in place before the goods move, and that is what we manage.

Often, yes. Many pharmaceutical products are duty-free under the WTO pharmaceutical "zero-for-zero" list, but only if they are classified correctly, and medical devices in Chapter 90 follow different rules again. We classify your products properly, apply the duty-free treatment where it qualifies, and secure Binding Tariff Information where a code is high-value or borderline.

By getting the customs side right before the goods arrive, so a temperature-sensitive consignment is not held at the border for a classification, valuation or licence correction. We run priority, specialist clearance and work alongside your GDP-compliant logistics, so the chain your provider protects is not broken by customs.

By getting the declaration and the health documentation right before the goods arrive, so nothing waits at the border for a correction. Our local teams know each market's border health controls and the CHED and certificate requirements, and the Digital Portal gives you up-to-date status and alerts, so a problem is caught early, not at the quay.

It depends on the ingredients and their origin. The Deforestation Regulation applies to certain commodities, and where it does it requires due diligence and a Due Diligence Statement. We check whether your goods are in scope and handle the compliance, so it does not become an unexpected hold.

We check whether your products are controlled, confirm the licences and end-use checks each shipment needs, and screen the parties and destinations against sanctions and denied-party lists, keeping the evidence so you can prove every decision. It is the difference between a saving and a breach, and we treat it that way.

Yes. Chemical mixtures and instruments are among the hardest goods to classify, and we determine the correct code, record the reasoning, and secure a Binding Tariff Information ruling where a product is high-value or borderline, so the classification holds.

It is the customer-facing platform for the customs we handle for you. It gives you up-to-date declaration status across every market, lets you upload documents and download your customs paperwork, keeps a searchable archive of everything filed, and alerts you to exceptions and actions. In short, it is one place to see and manage your customs, without phoning anyone.

Often both. API and EDI automate high-volume data exchange system to system, so declarations flow without rekeying. The portal is the human view on top: status, documents, archive and exceptions for your team to see and act on. Many customers automate the bulk by API or EDI and use the portal for visibility and handling exceptions. We help you set the right balance when you onboard.

Your customs documents: import and export declarations, transit documents, release confirmations and proof of export, plus the supporting documents you submitted. Everything is stored in a searchable archive, so past declarations are easy to find when you need them.

Not legally, but in practice almost everyone uses one. Opening a movement means access to NCTS, a transit guarantee, and the authorisations to act at the office of departure. A broker removes that overhead and the risk of a movement being held or never discharged. That is exactly what we do, across Europe.

Yes to both. We handle data with encryption and security protocols to ISO 27000 standards, and your customs data is yours: full CSV and raw exports are available, with no lock-in, so you can feed your own reporting whenever you want. We are independent and privately owned, with no parent company over us and no outside shareholders, so your data stays yours.

A transit declaration lets goods move under customs control from one point to another without duties and taxes being paid along the way. It is filed electronically through NCTS as a T1 or T2 movement, and Gaston Schul opens it, manages the guarantee, and discharges it at destination for you.

A T1 document covers non-Union goods moving under external transit - a T1 transit - where duty and import VAT are still owed. A T2 document covers Union goods under internal transit, keeping their customs status as they cross non-EU territory. We file the right one for your movement and discharge it at destination.

You need a T1 document when non-Union goods move under customs control before the import duty and VAT are paid - for example, goods travelling from the port of arrival to an inland customs office, or onward to another country. Here is the part many miss: the holder of the procedure who signs the declaration is liable for the duty and VAT if the movement is not discharged, and an open T1 left unclosed becomes a customs debt with interest. So Gaston Schul opens the T1, arranges the guarantee, monitors every open movement, and discharges it at destination, so your liability is closed cleanly, not left open.

Not legally, but in practice almost everyone uses one. Opening a movement means access to NCTS, a transit guarantee, and the authorisations to act at the office of departure. A broker removes that overhead and the risk of a movement being held or never discharged. That is exactly what we do, across Europe.

Yes. Our own teams handle transit in the European markets where we operate, and our alliance network extends that reach further, all under one customs clearance model. So your movements run to one standard, not a different broker in every country: our One partner across Europe approach. Local customs requirements vary by country - tell us where your goods move and we will confirm the right local route.

Most brokers just file the movement and leave you to manage the rest. Gaston Schul runs the whole operation: transit declarations, guarantees, the onward import and export clearance, advisory and technology, under one full-service model. And we are truly independent: privately owned, with no parent company over us and no outside shareholders, so your data stays yours and we reinvest to make our services better and stronger. You are not managing a broker; one independent partner is managing customs for you, with 180+ years of doing exactly that.

NCTS, the New Computerised Transit System, is the system used across Europe to manage transit electronically. Yes. Gaston Schul files every T1 and T2 movement through NCTS and manages the open orders, so each one is tracked from the office of departure until it is discharged.

Yes. Every movement needs a transit guarantee as financial security for the duties and taxes at stake while goods are on the move. We arrange and manage the guarantee for you, so your movement is covered and not held up over security.

Yes. We act as your direct or indirect customs representative, dealing with the authorities on your behalf, in the markets where we handle your movements.

Usually your commercial and transport documents, the commodity codes, where the movement starts and ends, and a transit guarantee. Once it is open, NCTS issues an MRN that travels with the goods. We confirm exactly what your movement needs before anything is filed.

An import declaration is the formal submission that tells customs what you are bringing into a country, its value and its origin, so the duty and import VAT can be settled and the goods released into free circulation. It is the core of import customs clearance, and we prepare and file it for you, across Europe.

Not legally, but in practice almost everyone uses one. You can file your own declarations, but you need access to each country's customs system, the right authorisations, and up-to-date knowledge of rules that change often. A broker removes that overhead and the risk of delays and penalties when importing goods. That is exactly what we do, across the markets where we clear your goods.

It depends on how complex your declarations are, how often you ship, and how many products and commodity codes you handle. There is no flat rate, but we will give you a clear quote for your flows. Tell us what you import and where, and we will price it properly.

Yes. We clear imports across the EU, Norway, Switzerland and the UK. Our own teams cover 14 markets, with an alliance network reaching further, all under one operating model. So you have one partner, not a different broker in each country: our One partner across Europe approach (links to /en/solutions/one-partner).

Most brokers just file your declarations and leave you to manage the rest. We run the whole operation: declarations, duty and VAT, advisory and technology, under one full-service operating model. And we are genuinely independent: privately owned, with no parent company over us and no outside shareholders, so your data stays yours and what we earn goes back into the service. You are not managing a broker; one independent partner is managing customs for you, with over 180 years of experience doing exactly that.

Yes. We handle high-value goods and complex, multi-country flows, including controlled goods that need veterinary or plant-health declarations. The more complicated your imports, the more a full-service partner is worth having.

Often, yes. We defer or postpone import VAT where the market allows, apply the duty reliefs and special procedures you qualify for, and reclaim duty you have overpaid. We can tell you which of these apply to your goods. If seeing your total customs cost is the bigger question, that is our Cost control and visibility solution (links to /en/solutions/visibility-cost-control).

Yes, as either your direct or indirect customs representative, and the difference matters. Direct representation means we file in your name, and the customs debt stays with you. Indirect means we file in our own name on your behalf, and we take on shared liability for that customs debt alongside you. If your business is not established in the EU, indirect representation is usually the only route open to you, and we confirm which applies before we act.

Usually an EORI number and your commercial paperwork: a commercial invoice, packing list, transport document, the commodity (HS) code and your customs value. Controlled goods may also need a licence or certificate. The EU and UK use an EORI number; Norway and Switzerland use their own identifiers. We will confirm exactly what you need for your shipment.

An export declaration is the official record you lodge with customs when goods leave a country, setting out what they are, what they are worth and where they are going, so they can be cleared to leave and any controls applied. It sits at the centre of export customs clearance, and we prepare and file it for you, across Europe.

There is no legal requirement, but very few exporters handle it themselves. Filing yourself means access to each country's export system, the right authorisations, and staying current on export controls and origin rules that shift constantly. A broker removes that overhead, and the risk of delays and penalties, when exporting goods. That is precisely what we do, across Europe.

There is no single price. What you pay tracks how complex your declarations are, how often you ship, how many products and commodity codes are involved, and whether you need origin documents or export licences. Tell us what you export and where it goes, and we will quote against your actual flows rather than a generic rate.

Yes. Our own teams handle export clearance in the European markets where we operate, and our alliance network extends that reach further, all on one operating model. You deal with one partner rather than a different broker in every country: our One partner across Europe approach (links to /en/solutions/one-partner). Local rules vary by country - tell us where you ship and we will confirm the right local route.

Yes. When you ship between the EU and the UK, Norway or Switzerland, the export on one side and the import on the other both need clearing. We handle both sides, so the two declarations are consistent and your goods are not held while one side waits for the other.

Plenty of brokers file the declaration and leave the rest to you. We take on the whole operation instead: declarations, origin documents, export controls, advisory and technology, under a single full-service model. And we are genuinely independent: privately owned, with no parent company over us and no outside shareholders, so your data stays yours and what we earn goes back into the service. You are not left managing a broker; one independent partner runs customs for you, and has done for 180+ years.

Yes, and the right document depends on where your goods are going, which is where it gets confusing. A EUR.1 or EUR-MED proves preferential origin under a trade agreement, so your buyer pays a lower or zero duty rate. An A.TR is different: it does not prove origin at all, it proves free-circulation status for the EU-Türkiye customs union. A certificate of origin proves non-preferential origin, where no preference applies. We work out which one your shipment needs, confirm your goods qualify, and prepare and legalise it.

In our experience, the export that gets stopped at the last minute is the one carrying a control nobody checked for: a dual-use component, or a party on a sanctions list. So we assess your goods for dual-use or military classification, run your trading partners against sanctions and denied-party lists, and obtain and manage any licence you need. Controlled goods never leave without clearance, and compliant goods are not held up by export control questions.

Yes. We act as your direct or indirect customs representative, dealing with the authorities on your behalf in the markets where we clear your goods.

In most cases an EORI number plus your commercial paperwork: the invoice, packing list, transport document, commodity (HS) code and the destination. Dual-use or controlled goods may also need an export licence, and shipments claiming preference need origin documents such as a certificate of origin or EUR.1. The EU and UK work on an EORI number, while Norway and Switzerland use their own identifiers. We confirm the exact list for your shipment before anything moves.

Trade compliance is keeping your customs and trade activity within the law: correct classification and valuation, screening the parties you deal with and the goods you ship, holding the supporting records, and correcting errors before customs finds them. Gaston Schul runs that work for you, rather than handing you a policy to apply yourself.

If you import or export at any scale, yes. Customs authorities expect you to have controls in place, not just good intentions, and an AEO holder is required to. A programme is what turns compliance from a person remembering things into a system that holds when that person is on holiday or the audit lands unannounced.

Sanctions screening checks your counterparties and transactions against government sanctions lists, such as the EU consolidated list and OFAC. Denied-party screening is broader: it covers those lists plus export-control denied and debarred parties and other restricted entities. In practice you need both, run together and run continuously, which is what we do for you.

Yes, and that is the point. Rather than buying screening software and operating it yourself, we screen your counterparties and transactions, assess your dual-use and controlled goods, and apply for the licences, as a managed service. You get the outcome without running the tool.

Usually, yes, and quickly. A voluntary disclosure, made before an audit, with the error quantified and corrected, is treated very differently from the same error found by customs, and it usually costs far less. We prepare and file it for you, and advise where disclosure is and is not the right call.

By finding the problems before customs does. Most penalties come from a handful of recurring issues: a wrong commodity code, an unsupported customs value, a missed licence, or a counterparty that should have been screened. We review for those, fix them, and keep the records that show you are in control.

Yes. Our own teams cover 14 European markets, with an alliance network reaching further, all under one operating model, so your screening, audits and controls follow one standard across Europe. If staying ahead of regulatory change is the bigger concern, that is our Stay ahead of regulation solution.

We run it. Software gives you a tool to operate and a law firm gives you an opinion to act on; we do the screening, the licence applications, the audits and the disclosures ourselves. And we are independent, privately owned, with no parent company over us and no outside shareholders, so the advice serves your compliance, not a sales target.

They answer different questions. Country of origin (non-preferential origin) is where a product is considered to be made for general purposes, labelling, trade statistics, anti-dumping duty. Preferential origin is a stricter test set by a specific trade agreement, and meeting it is what unlocks a reduced or zero duty rate. A product can have one country of origin and still fail to qualify for preference under an agreement. We determine both, and tell you which rate you can actually claim.

It depends on the agreement and the product. Each agreement sets its own rules of origin, wholly obtained, a tariff shift, a maximum share of non-originating value, or sufficient processing, and your goods have to meet the rule that applies to their commodity code. We assess your Bill of Materials and processing against the relevant rule and tell you what qualifies before you claim it, not after.

A supplier declaration is your supplier's written confirmation of the origin of the parts or materials they sell you, and it is the evidence that supports your own preference claim. A Long-Term Supplier Declaration (LTSD) covers repeated deliveries over a set period. They matter because in an audit it is you, the exporter or importer who claimed the preference, that customs holds responsible, and a claim without a valid declaration behind it is a claim you cannot defend. We request, validate, manage and renew them, so the proof behind every claim is always current.

The duty you saved is reclaimed, usually across every affected shipment customs can look back over, normally with interest and sometimes a penalty. Done properly, preference is one of the safest savings in customs; the exposure comes from claiming on assumption rather than evidence. We make sure every claim is determined correctly and documented to survive a challenge.

More than most buyers expect. When you acquire a business you inherit its customs history, and unproven preference claims are a contingent liability that can quietly erode the return on the deal. Customs can look back years, and "the previous owner claimed it" is no defence. We run origin due diligence the same way we defend an audit: determine what actually qualified, test the evidence behind past claims, and quantify the exposure before it becomes your problem.

A BOI is a formal decision from a customs authority confirming the preferential or non-preferential origin of your product, and it is binding on customs across the EU for a set period. Where a product's origin is high-value or finely balanced, a BOI removes the uncertainty and gives you a ruling you can rely on. We assess whether one is worthwhile and handle the application.

No. We can run an origin review and manage your preference claims alongside your existing clearance arrangements, or as part of taking on your customs end to end. Either way you keep trading while we find and prove the savings.

Yes. Our own teams cover 14 European markets, with an alliance network reaching further, all under one operating model. So the same determination, the same evidence standard and the same controls apply wherever you import or export, with one partner accountable for the result. If consolidating that across markets is the bigger question, that is our One partner across Europe solution.

Customs consultancy on origin is expert advice on whether your goods qualify for preferential treatment and how to prove it. The difference is that we advise and execute. An accountancy or law firm can tell you a preference may exist; we determine it, prepare the EUR.1 or supplier declarations, apply for the BOI and run the renewals. And we are independent, privately owned, with no parent company over us and no outside shareholders, so the advice serves your duty bill, not a sales target.

Tariff classification is assigning your goods the correct commodity code under the Harmonized System, the number customs uses to set your duty rate, import VAT, controls and licences. It is the first decision in every declaration, and Gaston Schul classifies your goods, records the reasoning, and stands behind the code.

You either overpay or underpay, on every shipment, until it is found. Underpay and customs can recover the difference and add a penalty, looking back three years and longer where an offence is involved. Overpay and the money is simply gone unless you reclaim it. A wrong code is rarely a one-off cost, which is why reviewing them pays off.

Often, yes, and that is exactly where classification gets difficult. A product can appear to fit two headings, and the right one is decided by the General Rules of Interpretation, the material, the function and how it is used. We resolve the borderline cases and record why, so the choice holds if customs asks.

A BTI is a ruling from customs that is legally binding on them across the EU, usually for three years. It is worth having when a code is high-value, borderline or challenged, because it removes the argument shipment by shipment. We tell you where a BTI is worth the effort and apply for it, and where it is not needed.

No, and this catches people out. The EU (and Northern Ireland) issues Binding Tariff Information (BTI); Great Britain issues its own Advance Tariff Ruling (ATaR) since Brexit. A code can be the same, but the ruling that protects it is a separate application in each. We handle both sides so your classification is secured wherever you trade.

Often, yes, within the time limits. Where a review finds a product was on too high a code, we correct it and file the repayment claim to recover the overpaid duty. The sooner it is found, the more of the refund is still in time.

Yes. Our own teams cover 14 European markets, with an alliance network reaching further, all under one operating model, so your products are classified to one consistent standard across Europe rather than differently in each country.

B

A tool returns a code; it does not stand behind it. A law firm will give you an opinion and leave you to apply it. We classify, lodge the BTI, correct the declarations and defend the code in an audit. And we are independent, privately owned, with no parent company over us and no outside shareholders, so the answer serves your business, not a sales target.

Duty optimisation is reducing the customs duty your business pays without raising your compliance risk to do it. It is a balance, not just a savings exercise: getting classification, valuation, origin and procedures right, applying the reliefs you qualify for and reclaiming what you have overpaid, while making sure a saving today does not become an audit penalty tomorrow. It is as much a governance decision as a financial one, which is why Gaston Schul both finds the savings and stands behind them when customs looks.

It depends on what you import, from where, and how your customs is set up today. The biggest savings usually come from reliefs you are not using (inward and outward processing), an overstated customs value, or preferential origin you could be claiming. We tell you what is realistic for your goods before you commit, not a figure plucked from the air.

They are mirror images. Inward processing is for goods you bring into the EU to process or repair and then re-export: the duty and import VAT are suspended while the goods are here. Outward processing is for goods you send out of the EU to process or repair and then bring back: duty is charged only on the value added abroad, not the full value again. Which one fits depends on the direction of travel, and we confirm it before we set anything up.

Often, yes, within the time limits. Where a commodity code was wrong, a value was overstated, or a relief was missed, we file the objection or repayment claim and recover the duty. The limits matter: the longer an error runs, the more of the refund is lost, so it is worth checking sooner rather than later.

Yes, it is legal, and done properly it lowers your risk rather than raising it. Duty optimisation uses the reliefs and procedures customs law provides, applied correctly and with the records to support them. The risk comes from the opposite: a wrong code or value left unchecked. Every saving we make is built to stand up in an audit.

No. We can run a duty review and the savings alongside your existing clearance arrangements, or as part of taking on your customs end to end. Either way you keep trading while we find and apply the savings.

Yes. Our own teams cover 14 European markets, with an alliance network reaching further, all under one operating model. So the same review, the same procedures and the same standard apply across Europe, with one partner accountable for the savings. If total customs cost is the bigger question, that is our Visibility and cost control solution

We advise and execute. An accountancy or law firm can tell you a saving exists; we set up the procedure, secure the authorisation, make the correction with customs, and give your team the exact framework to run it safely. And we are independent, privately owned, with no parent company over us and no outside shareholders, so the advice serves your duty bill, not a sales target.

It is a structured review of your customs operation: your procedures, controls and records, checked against what the regulations require, plus a scan of your trade for overpaid duty, recoverable VAT and missed trade-agreement savings. You finish with a written report and a prioritised action plan. It is the entry point to our advisory services and a clear, independent picture of where your customs actually stands.

No. A Health Check is a private review done for you, not a customs audit, and nothing we find is reported to an authority. The point is the opposite: to find and fix issues on your terms, before an actual audit does. Knowing where you stand, and acting on it, lowers your exposure rather than raising it.

A Health Check is designed as a rapid diagnostic, not a drawn-out project. The depth scales with your trade volume and the scope we agree, but once we have your data we move quickly and deliver the written report in weeks, not months. The demand on your team stays light: access to your customs data, a few key documents, and a short conversation with the people who run the process. We agree the scope and timeline with you up front at the Discover stage, so you know exactly what to expect before we start.

No. The action plan is yours to keep and use however you like, including in-house or with another provider. Many clients ask us to carry out the priority fixes because we found them and can act on them directly, but that is a choice, not a condition.

No. The Health Check sits alongside whatever clearance arrangements you have today. It reviews how your customs runs regardless of who files your declarations, and the action plan works the same way.

We advise and execute, from inside the customs operation. An accountancy or law firm can review your position on paper; we review the live operation, scan the actual trade data, and can then carry out the fixes, correcting classifications with customs, setting up the relief, recovering the duty. And we are independent, privately owned, with no parent company over us and no outside shareholders, so the review serves you, not a sales target.

An Authorised Economic Operator is a business that customs has recognised as a trusted trader, one that meets agreed standards for compliance, record-keeping, financial standing and security. In return, AEO holders get faster clearance, fewer customs checks and reduced financial guarantees. Gaston Schul prepares the application and the procedures behind it, and we hold AEO ourselves.

AEOC (Customs Simplifications) gives you the customs and financial benefits, simplified procedures and reduced guarantees. AEOS (Safety and Security) gives you the supply-chain security benefits, priority and lighter security checks. Hold both and you have the combined AEOC/S. We help you choose the one that matches what your business actually does.

It is not a legal requirement, but it is fast becoming an expectation. AEO makes your customs faster and cheaper, and more and more supply chains now ask their partners to hold it. If you import or export at any scale, the question is usually when, not whether.

Fewer document and physical checks, faster clearance, and reduced or waived guarantees on your deferment, transit and special procedures, so you hold less cash as security. It is also the foundation for most customs simplifications, and a credential customers increasingly look for.

It depends on how ready you are. Once the application is lodged, the customs authority has a set assessment window, but the real work is the preparation beforehand. With our gap assessment first, the whole process usually runs over a few months, and we tell you the realistic timeline for your business up front.

The customs authority assesses your procedures, records and controls, usually with an on-site visit. We prepare you for exactly what they examine, and we are there with you on the day, so the assessment goes smoothly. After approval, the status is monitored and re-assessed over time, which we also handle.

Yes, we run the project end to end: we assess your gaps, write the procedures, complete the self-assessment questionnaire, lodge the application, manage the authority and prepare you for the audit. The one part we cannot do for you is be your people: the auditor will want to speak to your warehouse, IT and finance leads directly. We keep that to the minimum and brief them fully, so the demand on your team is the operational input only they can give, not the administrative load.

Both. AEO is the headline, but we also arrange and maintain your deferment account and guarantees, inward and outward processing, customs warehousing, temporary admission, end-use, simplified procedures and import/export licences, the full set of authorisations your operation runs on.

AEO is recognised EU-wide, and through mutual recognition agreements it is respected in several countries beyond the EU too. Because Gaston Schul works as one operating model across our markets, you have a single partner managing your authorisations wherever you trade.

CBAM is an EU carbon price on imports. For certain carbon-intensive goods, you report the emissions embedded in them and, in time, pay for those emissions through CBAM certificates, so imported goods carry a carbon cost comparable to goods made inside the EU.

Currently iron and steel, cement, fertilisers, aluminium, electricity and hydrogen, defined by their CN codes in Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2023/956. Whether a specific product is caught depends on its exact code, which is why a goods check is the safest first step.

If you import covered goods above the applicable threshold, yes. Once the definitive system is running, only authorised CBAM declarants can import covered goods into the EU, so registration is what keeps those goods moving.

The embedded emissions of your covered goods, reported each quarter through the CBAM Trader Portal. The accuracy of that emissions data is what determines your reporting position and, from 2027, what you pay.

Incorrect or missing reports can lead to penalties and, under the definitive system, to problems importing covered goods. The risk is usually in the data, the wrong CN code or weak emissions figures, which is exactly what we check.

The definitive period began on 1 January 2026, with quarterly reporting and CBAM certificates (free of charge in 2026). From 2027, certificates must be bought at the market carbon price.

Yes. We check which of your goods are in scope, build the reporting process, prepare the quarterly report, and submit it through the Trader Portal on your behalf, so CBAM becomes a managed process rather than a scramble each quarter.

Customs warehousing lets you store non-Union goods without paying duty or import VAT while they sit in the warehouse. The charges are suspended until the goods are released into free circulation, and if you re-export them, no duty is due at all. Gaston Schul runs the customs side of it for you, from entry to removal.

Yes. You keep your own or your third-party warehouse, and we run the customs side of it for you - the bonded entries, the stock records and the removals. So you get full customs warehousing without changing where your goods are stored.

In most cases there is no fixed time limit - goods can stay under customs warehousing while you need them, with duty and import VAT suspended throughout. You decide when to release them into free circulation, re-export them, or move them on under transit, and we confirm the position for your setup.

They are two names for the same thing. "Bonded warehouse" is the everyday term; "customs warehouse" is the official one. Both mean a customs bonded warehouse: a place where goods are held under duty and VAT suspension, and we manage the customs administration for either.

Only when the goods leave the warehouse and enter free circulation. While they stay under bond, nothing is due, which keeps that cash in your business. Goods you re-export or move on under transit leave without attracting duty. This is one of the strongest levers for customs cash flow, which is the focus of our Visibility and cost control solution.

Yes. Our own teams handle bonded administration in the European markets where we operate, and our alliance network extends that reach further, all under one customs clearance model. So your stock is managed to one standard, not a different broker in every country: our One partner across Europe approach. Local customs requirements vary by country - tell us where your goods are stored and we will confirm the right local route.

Most brokers just keep the bonded records and leave you to manage the rest. Gaston Schul runs the whole operation: the bonded administration, the authorisations, the VAT on release, advisory and technology, under one full-service model. And we are truly independent: privately owned, with no parent company over us and no outside shareholders, so your data stays yours and we reinvest to make our services better and stronger. You are not managing a broker; one independent partner is managing customs for you, with 180+ years of doing exactly that.

Yes. Our advisory team prepares and submits your customs warehouse authorisation, then sets up the stock records and internal controls customs expects. That last part matters most: a customs warehouse depends on its stock record, and in our experience the most common reason an audit finds problems is the customs record and the physical stock no longer matching. We keep them reconciled and the authorisation compliant, so an audit confirms what you already know rather than uncovering a gap.

Yes. A customs warehouse works well alongside inward and outward processing, duty-suspended processing and end-use. We advise on the combination that gives your goods the best treatment and run it for you.

Yes. We act as your direct or indirect customs representative, dealing with the authorities on your behalf, in the markets where we manage your bonded stock.