News
Marking a major milestone in the history of the ATA Carnet, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has confirmed the successful processing of the very first electronic version of the trade facilitation tool.
ICC commitments to simplify trade documentation processes have been bolstered by the first real use of a digital ATA Carnet, the widely used international trade facilitation tool allowing duty free movement of goods for up to one year.
Issued as part of the ''Mercury II'' pilot project to digitalize the ATA Carnet, launched by ICC in 2018, the pioneering Swiss ATA Carnet ''CHBE20191834'' was digitally activated by customs officials at Zurich airport on October 20, 2019. It was followed by another digital transaction of exportation formalities on the same day. Two weeks later, on November 1, the goods were re-imported to Switzerland from Canada, declared via the ICC ATA Carnet App and subsequently digitally processed by Zurich airport customs via the ATA Carnet Customs portal.
ICC, as the international organization administering the ATA Carnet international guaranteeing chain, is leading the on-going project to digitalize the ATA Carnet in cooperation with the World Customs Organization (WCO). The real testing phase will continue for 6 months thanks to the support of six pilot countries: Belgium, China, Russia, Switzerland, the UK and the US.
