To find out who already has an AEO certificate in the EU, click on the link below:

ec.europa.eu

The question seems simple, however this is the first and foremost question in regards to AEO. Without clarifying this it is impossible to prepare the whole application.

Just by answering this question we can find out which parts of the self-evaluation form have to be filled out and which ones don’t.

An AEO application can be handed in by a business that is:

a manufacturer, exporter, carrier, warehouse keeper, customs agent, freight forwarder , or importerand whose activity is in contact with merchandise that are subject to the customs authorities.

Who I am as a company is basically determined by my activities. However in certain ways AEO percieves this in a more complex manner. The reason for this is the so called outsourced activities.

The most common outsourced activities are the following:

• Freight forwarding
• Transportation
• Customs activities
• Manufacturing
• Storage
• IT activities (hardware, software maintenance)
• Guarding (reception)
• Cleaning
• Maintenance
• Gardening
• Accounting
• Payroll

Why is this important? It is important, because during the AEO application process the applicant is responsible for any activity that it conducts or outsources. Some of the companies that perform the above mentioned outsourced activities can and some cannot apply for the AEO certificate. This, however does not exclude your responsibility.

During the application all questions have to be answered that are related to the company’s activities. This is why if we as carriers also conduct freight forwarding (as in the above example) , then we have to answer the questions relating to freight forwarders also. –

During the application all questions have to be answered that are related to the company’s activities. This is why if we as carriers also conduct freight forwarding (as in the above example), then we have to answer the questions relating to freight forwarders also. Based on this a petitioner can fill the roles of all seven categories and for this reason has to answer questions relating to all of the categories. During the AEO application process it is important to know the two ways in which we can handle the so called risks that are mostly caused by outsourced activities (for example safely freighting merchandise). –

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1. Decreasing:when the requestor strives to minimize risks, for example: it obliges the freighter to use numbered locks, keep inventory and to follow further regulations.
2. Exclusion:when the company only uses the outsourced services of businesses that already have an AEO certificate.

Someone that produces semi-finished or finished products from commodities or semi-finished products.

Processes existing products or does other further actions with it (contracted manufacturing).

It is important to note that in case the company is only a manufacturer then customs handling is not a criteria.

In most cases the manufacturers are usually importers and exporters at the same time, but the lack of this does not exclude AEO application as it does with the six other partners of the chain of the supply chain.

Someone that ships and markets products that require customs declaration forms outside of the EU while referring to their EORI number.

The customs declaration forms can be filled out by the customs agent, but in that case that has to include their EORI number!

Someone that ships in and markets products from outside of the EU that require customs declaration forms while referring to their EORI number.

The customs declaration forms can be filled out by the customs agent, but in that case that has to include their EORI number!

Someone that has a customs authorisation that was issued by the National Tax and Customs Administration and represents other businesses in a direct or indirect way through customs legislations.

Someone that receives a warehousing licence from the National Tax and Customs Administration (there are four types: A, B, C, and D).

Someone that operates a warehouse with temporary sustension is not considered licensed!

Someone that gets commissioned to import or export goods from the EU or transports inside the EU under the Transit Agreement and receives payment from the commissioner directly. It is important that the products being transported by the carrier must be in contact with the customs authorities (export, import goods, goods transferred via Transit Agreement).

A freight forwarder is also considered a carrier if they have their own freighting tools, but forwards their orders due to a lack of quantity of transport vehicles and the client makes the payments to them. If the freight forwarder forwards their orders and the client pays the third party, then they are not considered a Carrier.

Someone who gets contracted to import or export products and who freights goods that belong under the transit system with their own vehicles in the EU.

It is important that the products that are being transported come into contact with the activities of the customs authorities (exported or imported goods, in case of agreement transferred goods).

After receiving the AEO certificate, the owner is required to inform the relevant authorities regarding changes in any areas that are concerned by the AEO status.

The omission of informing the authorities of these changes can result in sanctions. The sanction may include the suspension of the certificate or even its revocation!

Experience shows that the preparation for the AEO status often requires the use of external resources by certain departments of the company in order to receive the certificate. After the acquisition of the certificate everyone can return to their normal duties.

The members of the team that are incorporated for temporary cooperation cannot communicate with each other according to AEO guidelines. The AEO viewpoints become secondary in importance and certain sectors might not know what sort of changes are occuring in other areas.

Every company has to decide for itself which one of the AEO certificates it would like to apply for. It has to be mentioned that basically two kinds of AEO can be requested.

There is one for simplified customs, one for safety and security and a combination of the two can be considered a third one. Everyone can decide which type they would like to get, however there is one case in which there is no choice available.

This only concerns the freight forwarders, who „only” freight the goods and for this reason they can only receive the Safety and Protection AEO certificate.

To determine which of the AEO certificates are best for a company one has to consider the advantages of each one. You can get more information about this in the „What are the benefits of the certificate?” menu section.

Any entity who performs any business activity that falls under the jurisdiction of customs authorities and meets the below criteria:

• manufacturer
• exports products,
• custom agent,
• freight forwarder,
• imports products,
• warehouse keeper,
• carrier

The customs authority performs an audit at the seat of the applicant company during which they ask questions regarding subjects that were either not clearly expressed in the petition or if they have further questions that arose.

The length or number of the on-site audits depends on the quality of the application that the applicant prepared, the size of the company and the type of AEO that was requested.

It is obvious that a very well prepared AEO petition – for example one that only requests customs simplification – of a microenterprise will result in a much shorter audit process than the combined type AEO petition of a multinational company that has several factories.

In general it can be said that the AEO audit consists of minimum one to a maximum of six occasions.

With everything considered it can be said that the acquisition of the AEO certificate is a long process that can take up to a year in length.

• We help you decide which type of AEO certificate you should choose
• We can help you determine your position in the supply chain
• We offer a customised self-evaluation questionnaire
• We can answer any of your questions you might have while filling out the questionnaire
• In order to properly complete the questionnaire we can offer the right procedures
• Determine the required documents that are needed for the AEO application
• We can gather any other required documents
• We store your application on a digital data carrier
• Compile and arrange the whole application and submit it to the authorities

• It has to be determined where the company belongs inside the supply chain
• It has to be determined which kind of AEO certificate you would like to get
• The self-evaluation questionnaire has to be filled out
• The petition form has to be filled out along with other documents
• The application and all of its appendices has to be compiled and properly arranged
• The completed application has to be submitted to the National Tax and Customs Administration
• After submission of the application there is an audit during which the authorities’ questions need to be answered personally
• After receiving the certificate it has to be determined which of the changes that have occured need to be declared to the authorities
• The necessary changes need to be declared to the authorities