Page 29 - STAT July 2024 for Magzter

what happens in the upcoming peak and often not fully harmonised at EU level.
season,” it reads. Therefore, it has become challenging for
However, it has also pointed out that the EU-based players to compete on an equal
big question for the air cargo industry is level with these new players from outside
what happens following the U.S. crackdown the EU who are targeting EU consum-
on e-commerce shipments out of China. ers. Most importantly, the commercial
Despite huge volumes of e-commerce practices used by these players raise
shipments moving from China to the US questions about their compliance with the
and Europe by air, one factor that makes Union legislation, especially in the areas
the air cargo industry anxious is how of consumer protection, product safety,
customs regulations in both these markets counterfeiting, data protection, privacy,
are evolving. The customs officer environmental and taxation legislation.”
For instance, US Customs & Border in Belgium is reading the Even in the European Union where
Protection intensified its crackdown on the customs code is the same across the
Chinese e-commerce shipments in May customs code differently region, the treatment of e-commerce
2024 by suspending multiple customs bro- shipments differs and shippers from China
kers from participating in the Entry Type 86 than the officer in have been adjusting themselves according
Test, a voluntary US Customs programme Amsterdam. And then the to the customs regulations and enforce-
allowing participants to electronically ments. Simultaneously, as the e-commerce
import small shipments valued up to $800 officer in Germany who is boom is on, airlines and airports are lining
without paying duties and taxes. up to grab their share.
Things are not different in Europe. very strict is also reading For instance, Wake , general manager
Ecommerce Europe, the EU not-for- the differently. of the Shanghai branch of Guangzhou
profit association representing compa- Hayonex Logistics (HYL Logistics), a
nies selling goods and services online Murat Odabas Guangzhou-based logistics company of-
to consumers in Europe, issued an open CB Customs Broker fering forwarding, customs and integrated
letter to enforcement authorities stressing solutions, informed that they are sending
the urgent need to ensure a level playing It reads, “Companies that are already their e-commerce shipments to Liege or
field and effective enforcement of EU law based in the EU are subject to many Amsterdam where the turnaround time is
towards all e-commerce players active in regulations and compliance costs tend lower compared to Germany.
the EU Single Market. to be high as rules are generally complex “Even for e-commerce shipments des-
tined to Germany and Frankfurt, we move
them through The Netherlands or Belgium,
where customs clearance is quick, and
then ship it to Germany.”
In fact, the German cargo airline Luf-
thansa Cargo, along with its subsidiaries CB
Customs Broker and heyworld, organised
a workshop in Shanghai during the recent
air cargo China 2024 to convince Chinese
e-commerce shippers to send their cargo
to its hub in Frankfurt Airport.
Murat Odabas, managing director of
CB Customs Broker, the customs agency
and wholly-owned subsidiary of Lufthansa
Cargo, agreed that the barrier was high at
Frankfurt Airport and Germany.
“The customs officer in Belgium is read-
ing the customs code differently than the
officer in Amsterdam. And then the officer
in Germany who is very strict is also read-
ing it differently. It is all the same code.”
Odabas noted that they got in touch
with the customs officials in Germany and
informed them about the advantages
Liege and Amsterdam enjoy.

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