Term of the Day: Carnet

A carnet is an international customs and temporary export-import document. It permits a holder to temporarily carry or send merchandise into certain foreign
countries, for display, demonstration or similar purposes, without paying duties or posting bonds.

There are two types of carnets issued in U.S., ATA and TECRO/AIT.

The TECRO/AIT carnets are used for temporary imports in Taiwan which only accepts the TECRO/AIT carnet.

The ATA carnets are used to clear customs in 84 countries and territories without paying duties and import taxes on merchandise that will be re-exported within 12 months. This list shows you in which countries ATA carnets can be used:

• Albania
• Algeria
• Andorra
• Antarctica
• Aruba
• Australia
• Austria*
• Azores (Portugal)
• Bahrain, Kingdom of
• Balearic Islands (see Spain)
• Belarus
• Belgium*
• Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Botswana
• Bulgaria
• Bulgaria*
• Canada
• Canary Islands
• Ceuta
• Chile
• China
• Corsica (France)
• Cote d’Ivoire
• Croatia*
• Curacao
• Cyprus*
• Czech Republic*
• Denmark*
• Estonia*
• European Union
• Faroe Islands (Denmark)
• Finland*
• France*
• French Guiana
• French Polynesia – Tahiti
• Germany*
• Gibraltar
• Greece*
• Greenland (Denmark)
• Guadeloupe (France)
• Guam
• Guernsey (United Kingdom)
• Hong Kong
• Hungary*
• Iceland
• India
• Iran
• Ireland*
• Isle of Man (United Kingdom)
• Israel
• Italy*
• Ivory Coast see Cote d’Ivoire
• Japan
• Jersey (United Kingdom)
• Latvia*
• Lebanon
• Lesotho (SACU)
• Liechtenstein (Admin by Switz.)
• Lithuania*
• Luxembourg*
• Macao, China
• Macedonia
• Madagascar
• Madeira (Portugal)
• Malaysia
• Malta*
• Martinique
• Mauritius
• Mayotte (France)
• Melilla (Spain)
• Mexico
• Miquelon (France)
• Moldova
• Monaco (Admin by France)
• Mongolia
• Montenegro
• Morocco
• Namibia (SACU)
• Netherlands*
• New Caledonia (France)
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Pakistan
• Poland*
• Portugal*
• Puerto Rico (USA)
• Reunion Island (France)
• Romania*
• Russia
• Saipan
• Senegal
• Serbia
• Singapore
• Slovakia*
• Slovenia*
• South Africa
• South Korea
• Spain*
• Sri Lanka
• St. Barthelemy (France)
• St. Martin (French Side)
• St. Pierre (France)
• Swaziland (SACU)
• Sweden*
• Switzerland
• Tahiti (France)
• Taiwan
• Tasmania (Australia)
• Thailand
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• Turks & Caicos
• Ukraine
• United Arab Emirates
• United Kingdom*
• United States
• Wallis & Futuna (France)

*Countries ending with an asterisk are part of the European Union (EU),
which means that if goods are properly imported into one EU carnet country
and re-exported from a second EU carnet country, the carnet holder is unlikely to
encounter any claims fees.

Almost all types of goods can be transported under the ATA carnet, such as:

– Commercial Samples

– Professional Equipment

– Goods for Exhibitions (limited to 6 months)

Exceptions are consumable items such as agricultural products, explosives, disposables and postal traffic which cannot travel under the ATA carnet.

World Maritime News Staff; Image: Dynamic International