An A.T.A. Carnet
(Admission Temporaire – Temporary Admission)
is a standard international Customs document to be used for the temporary import and re-export of goods. It includes an import declaration form, export declaration from, re-importation certificate, and transit documents for the movement of goods from one Customs House to another.
It provides an international guarantee that is required for imports granted temporary duty-free admission under the A.T.A. Convention.
The Istanbul Convention
is aimed at facilitating the temporary admission of goods, reducing the clearance time for goods, and simplifying customs clearance procedures. Businesses and entrepreneurs are able to temporarily import professional equipment and other goods such as commercial samples, advertising materials, and scientific equipment for use at meetings and tradeshows in member countries, and re-export that merchandise within 6 months without payment of taxes.
Anyone requiring the temporary admission of such goods to member countries should contact their country’s Board of Trade to obtain the appropriate documents.
Raising the Temporary Admission System to International Standards
The Board of Trade of Thailand has signed a contract of bid and security with the Customs Department to act in accordance with the Istanbul Convention as the primary national organization guaranteeing improved customs clearance on temporarily admitted goods and to ensure that international standards are met in order to provide facilitation for businesses and entrepreneurs.
According to the Istanbul Convention, there are 2 types of international customs and temporary export-import documents required: CPD Carnet and ATA Carnet.
CPD Carnet
(Carnet de Passages en Douane) acts as a merchandise passport and a guarantee document, covering the temporary admission of specific items. The CPD Carnet can be obtained from the Alliance Internationale de Tourisme (AIT) or the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA).
ATA Carnet
also acts as a merchandise passport and a guarantee document for temporary import goods, and is issued by the Board of Trade of Thailand, which is the national guaranteeing organization and is therefore required to be a member of the document-issuing system and of the International Bureau of Chambers of Commerce (IBCC).
