Acceptance of Copies.Β 1. Each Party shall, where appropriate, endeavour to accept paper or electronic copies of supporting documents required for imported goods.
Acceptance of Copies.Β 2.1 Each Member shall, where appropriate, endeavour to accept paper or electronic copies of supporting documents required for import, export, or transit formalities.
Acceptance of Copies.Β π Each Member shall, where appropriate, endeavour to accept paper or electronic copies of supporting documents required for import, export or transit formalities π Where a government agency of a Member already holds the original of such a document, any other agency of that Member shall accept a paper or electronic copy from the agency holding the original in lieu of the original document π A Member shall not ask for submission of export declaration as a requirement for importation
Acceptance of Copies.Β Border agencies shall endeavour to accept copies of supporting documents that may be required for import, export or transit formalities.
Acceptance of Copies.Β 10.3 Use of International Standards
Acceptance of Copies.Β B At present, presentation of the original document for import is required under Customs rules. No No No
Acceptance of Copies.Β No B x x
Acceptance of Copies.Β Partially aligned 1. There are no specific legal or policy measures enacted that require or allow Customs and other border agencies to accept copies of supporting documents in lieu of originals.
Acceptance of Copies.Β Members shall endeavor to accept paper or electronic copies of supporting documents. This requirement will yield significant savings in time and its attendant costs: goods will not wait for hand-delivery of original paper documents, or for one document to do the rounds of all border agencies, or for documents that may be difficult to obtain, such as export declarations. If only originals are accepted, there are limitations on pre-arrival processing, or for changes in delivery. There are also concerns over loss or falsification. Accepting copies can save much back-and-forth, which equates to time and money. Moving to electronic copies further secures and speeds up the system and is a step towards automation of the entire customs clearing process.
Acceptance of Copies.Β This article intends to avoid that original documents are required, and that copies are accepted instead. It defines that when one national authority has received the original document, all other agencies shall accept copies authenticated by this authority. The Member shall not require an original or copy of export declarations of the exporting country at the time of import. Current Situation It is already practice to accept copies β and for the SEW everything is scanned and introduced into the system. Issues of Interpretation The article does not have a mandatory character, since it says that each Member shall βwhere appropriate, endeavour to accept copies...β
