French officials at the border have reported problems with many British ATA carnets submitted to French Customs at the border. The holders of the carnet have not carried out the proper formalities, in order to benefit from the temporary admission procedure.

The officials are noticing the following:

• a lack of registration of the required information
• numerous lack of signatures by the carnet holder or his representative, on the importation voucher of the carnet (box F). This box must be completed and signed by a duly authorised person, i.e. the holder or their representative (designated in boxes A and B respectively).

Since the ATA carnet is an application of the temporary admission procedure, traders must remember that the holder must always be the declarant, although they may be represented for this act by a person designated and empowered to do so.

Therefore, in the absence of a valid designation and power of attorney, the driver/carrier is not considered to be a person authorised to fill and sign this part. Except, if they are designated as a representative in box B.

The WCO, which is responsible for the regulation of ATA Carnets, via the Istanbul Convention and the ATA Convention, recently reminded all Contracting Parties at the 18thAdministrative Committee that:

Customs should not accept the ATA carnet as a temporary importation declaration, without a signature of the ATA carnet holder/representative on the importation voucher (box F.d).

France officials have contacted UK government to request that an action is taken in order to ensure compliance by the UK operators.

CILT members are reminded that in order to follow the regulation of ATA Carnet the French customs officials will soon be refusing the visa of the carnet and will not grant the temporary admission procedure if the carnet is not correctly filled in.