A carnet or ATA Carnet is an international customs document issued by 70 countries that participate in the carnet program. The document is presented when entering a Carnet country with merchandise or equipment that will be re-exported within 12 months.
Upon presentation, the Carnet permits the equipment or merchandise to clear customs without the payment of duties and taxes. Payment is not necessary because the Carnet guarantees that the merchandise or equipment will be re-exported within a year. The use of a Carnet is a way of temporarily importing into foreign countries without payment of duties and taxes. Carnets also serve as the U.S. registration of goods so that the goods can re-enter the U.S. without payment of duties and taxes.
When goods are exported out of the U.S. on a Carnet, or imported into the U.S. on a Carnet, under the new Foreign Trade Regulations that were published on July 2, 2008, the Electronic Export Information (EEI) is no longer required for Carnet shipments. Unless the Carnet is being exported in conjunction with an export license issued by any U.S. Government Agency, the EEI must be transmitted in AES.
The Foreign Trade Regulations allow for Carnet exports to be exempt from the EEI transmission by applying the exemption legend on the transportation documents. A U.S. origin Carnet shipment being exported would be exempt by citing the exemption NO EEI 30.37(q). For foreign Carnets, when the goods are re-exported back to their country of origin, the proper exemption to apply is NO EEI 30.37(r).
Exporters can seek more information about this program via the website www.atacarnet.com.
