Glossary of Blair Consular Services & Import/Export Terms
Glossary of Blair Consular Services
Export Shipping Documents
We are able to expeditiously process the full range of documents required when exporting goods by freight, including Certificates of Origin, Customs Declarations, EUR-1’s, ATA Carnets, and Combined Certificates of Value and Origin. We offer end-to-end preparation and certification services, and Blair clients benefit from our comprehensive in-house London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) certification department to allow for priority stamping.
Document Notarisation Service
We work with a network of notaries, which allows us to assist with the notarisation of documents across the UK. The notarisation of a document involves a Notary Public, who will check a person’s identity and that individual’s capacity to sign the document. Notarisation might also be required to certify the authenticity of an official document or to issue a certified copy of an original document.
Foreign Office Apostille Service
We offer a complete apostille service, in which an Apostille is issued by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office in the UK and is used to certify an official document for use in another country.
Embassy Legalisation Service
We offer a complete legalisation service, including arranging any preparatory steps before a document is lodged by our own couriers with an embassy. Embassy Legalisation is the process of presenting a document to an embassy for authentication.
Documentary Letter of Credit Service
We provide a range of Documentary Letter of Credit services using our web-based document management platform, from checking documentation to ensure that it complies with the terms of the credit to raising shipping documents, such as invoices and packing lists.
Passport Renewal & Travel Visa Service
As an accredited agency with the embassies in London, we handle both passport renewal and travel visa applications, ensuring that applications are processed with minimal delay on behalf of our clients.
Regulatory Affairs Documents
We provide a comprehensive range of services for the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors, including global Legalisation services, together with external and in-house support for our clients’ submissions and filing to the relevant Health Authorities, both in the UK and overseas. We also provide technical translations for all pharmaceutical documents, using experienced certified translators.
Legal, Corporate & IP Documents
We provide a comprehensive range of services for corporate legal departments across a wide range of industry sectors, plus a “one-stop” solution for documentation authentication requirements. This includes patent and trademark documentation, Powers of Attorney, Assignments, Authorisations, and Companies House certificates. We also provide technical translations for all legal documents, using experienced certified translators.
Trade Compliance Advisory Services
We can advise on all aspects of customs formalities and regulations in the context of a client’s logistics processes and customs activities. This can include Goods Classification, Customs Regime Management, Rules of Origin, Import & Export Licensing, and Supply Chain Management.
AEO – Authorised Economic Operator Certification
We offer four tiers of AEO service, ranging from an initial “readiness review” through to keeping your AEO status intact. Our experts can help you navigate every step of acquiring and maintaining AEO status to show that you are a safe and secure partner in the international supply chain, and that your business is compliant and in control.
Glossary of Import/Export Terms
Apostille
An apostille is a streamlined method of document legalisation, used to certify an official document for use in another country.
Assignment
In shipping terms, an assignment refers to the transfer of rights, ownership, or the control of goods or a shipment from one party to another.
ATA Carnet
An ATA Carnet is an international customs document permitting the temporary admission of commercial samples, exhibit goods and professional equipment to and from signatory countries. “ATA” stands for “Admission Temporaire/Temporary Admission”.
Attestation
This refers to the act of authenticating a formal document and verifying its legitimacy, involving a process in which an attestation stamp is obtained from the relevant officials.
Authorised Economic Operator (AEO)
AEO status is an internationally recognised quality mark, which shows that the role of a business in the international supply chain is secure, with customs control procedures that meet AEO standards and criteria.
Certificate of Origin (CO)
A CO is an internationally recognised trade document to authenticate the origin of exported goods in the importing country. COs are mostly required for customs-clearance procedures to determine duties or legitimacy of imports.
Combined Certificate of Value and Origin (CCVO)
A CCVO is an international export document used for all shipments being sent to Nigeria. It is one of the documents required for customs clearance purposes.
Customs Broker
A customs broker or customs agent will facilitate the process of goods clearing customs. They typically deal with the import and export procedures, while Freight Forwarders are experts in logistics.
Customs Declaration
All shipments exported from or imported to the UK will need to be declared to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) by way of a Customs Declaration, including information as to the nature of the goods and their value.
Customs Invoice
Also known as a pro forma or shipping invoice, a customs invoice is used by importers and exporters to declare the value of goods for customs-clearance purposes. This will include details of the sender and receiver, plus the type, weight, value, and origin of the goods being imported.
Documentary Letter of Credit (L/C)
A documentary L/C is a secure method of payment in international trade, used to guarantee payment for exports.
EUR-1
An EUR-1, also known as a Movement Certificate, is a type of export document that allows the exportation of UK-originated goods at a preferential rate of duty to signatory countries.
Freight Forwarder
A freight forwarder moves goods around the world for importers and exporters, acting as an intermediary between transportation companies that import and export goods and the businesses that need them. They can manage every aspect of the shipment process, from storing goods prior to transport to ensuring that goods clear customs. Freight forwarders will often employ or are affiliated with Customs Brokers.
Goods Classification
Goods are classified according to the rules set out by the World Customs Organization (WCO). Known as the “Harmonised System”, there are different commodity descriptions and codes with which to determine the correct rate of customs charges, together with any requirements for import/export licences or other security measures.
Legalisation
Embassy Legalisation is the process of presenting a document to an embassy for authentication to verify it for official use overseas. This process is also commonly referred to as document attestation.
Notary Public
This is an internationally recognised legal professional who has the authority to certify the authenticity of different types of documents and signatures to those documents, or to issue a certified copy of an original document, primarily for use abroad.
Power of Attorney (POA)
A POA is a written authorisation used in shipping to give another person or entity, such as a Freight Forwarder or Customs Broker, the legal authority to handle the shipment and to process customs clearance on behalf of the importer or exporter.
Rules of Origin
These rules are used to establish the country of origin of imported and exported goods, and to help identify goods which qualify for lower or no customs duty.
Definition of Abbreviations
AEO: Authorised Economic Operator
ATA: Admission Temporaire/Temporary Admission
BIS: TKTK
CCVO: Combined Certificate of Value and Origin
CO: Certificate of Origin
CPP: Certificate of a Pharmaceutical Product
Defra: Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
DoH: Department of Health
EMA: European Medicines Agency
GMP: Good Manufacturing Process
HMRC: His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs
ICC: International Chamber of Commerce
L/C: Letter of Credit
LCCI: London Chamber of Commerce and Industry
MHRA: Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency
POA: Power of Attorney
UKNATACO: UK National ATA Carnet Organisation
WCF: World Chambers Federation
WTO: World Trade Organization.
To discuss our consular services further, please telephone our Sales Team on +44 (0) 1784 254123 or contact us to learn more today.
Legal disclaimer
The matters contained within this article are intended to be for general information purposes only. This blog does not constitute legal advice, nor is it a complete or authoritative statement of the law in England and Wales and should not be treated as such. Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the information is correct, no warranty, either express or implied, is given as to the accuracy of the blog contents, and no liability is accepted for any errors or omissions. Before acting on any of the information contained herein, expert advice should be sought.