The EU Staff Working Paper on the 100% scanning of containers bound for the United States
Post 9/11, the United States has been looking at various ways of strengthening its borders and increase its security. Consequently, the United States legislation "Implementing Regulations of the 9/11 Commission Act (2007)" unilaterally introduced a 100% scanning requirement for US-bound maritime cargo at port of export, to be implemented by 1 July 2012. The European Union strongly opposes this measure and below is a summary of the background to the legislation, the reasons for the opposing it and the possible consequences should agreement fail to be reached.
Inward Processing Relief (IPR) is a duty-relief arrangement that allows for the import of goods into the EC so that they can be processed and re-exported with import duty suspended or relieved. There are currently two types of IPR, IPR Suspension and IPR Drawback. However, under the Modernised Customs Code, IPR Drawback will be phased out.
Processing under Customs Control (PCC) is a duty relief arrangement that allows for materials and parts to be imported into the European Community where they are then to be "processed" into a finished or semi-finished product. The parts and materials are declared under the same commodity code as the finished product itself, thereby potentially saving money on Customs duty, agricultural levies and other CAP charges when the goods are declared to free circulation.
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