Lunchtime learning: What to do if you missed the CDS export deadline

All export declarations must now be made using the Customs Declaration Service (CDS), rather than the old Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF).

As of last Tuesday (4 June), CDS must be used for making export declarations. CHIEF had been closed off for imports since autumn 2022.

As part of its offering to members, the Institute of Export & International Trade (IOE&IT) held a special edition of Lunchtime Learning on what do if you’ve missed the 4 June deadline. Andrew Hutchinson, HMRC’s head of CDS trade migration, and Lee French, HMRC senior customs specialist, joined IOE&IT trade experts Anna Doherty and Matt Vicks to explain the next steps for CDS and share advice and guidance on making the final transition.

Final stages

The 4 June deadline represents one of the final stages for the years-long process of moving all declarations over to the new system.

Anyone wanting to export under CHIEF can now only do so with specific permission from HMRC, normally for technical reasons and assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Hutchinson said that HMRC would continue to monitor the use of CHIEF and would contact anyone that is still using CHIEF to make declarations to help them move over.

Support on hand

HMRC said that the majority of export declarations were now going through CDS, having met the 4 June deadline.

Hutchinson said that HMRC would continue to work with traders who were struggling:

“We will continue to offer help and support to anyone who reaches out to us anyone who needs it.

“I would encourage anyone who has not yet completed that migration to reach out to us if you're struggling, and you need any help.”

Those using agents or other intermediaries are also advised to get in touch with those third parties if they are also struggling, with HMRC emphasising that this will include part of the monitoring process.

“We’re here to help and we can help them meet the final steps: whatever it is that’s preventing them from getting across and making [their] declarations on CDS.”

CHIEF decommissioning

“CHIEF isn't going to be around for much longer and we do need to start to decommission the system,” explained Hutchinson, adding that work on decommissioning CHIEF would begin soon.

With that in mind, soon traders will not have the ability to make declarations on CHIEF and the old system will be shut down, giving traders an even greater incentive to complete the transition.

The last date from which permission will be granted to continue to use CHIEF will be up to 4 July, when any pre-agreed exceptions expire.

Technical issues

Vick warned that the phrase ‘technical issues’ referred to an issue with CDS itself.

“A certain combination of data, for instance, doesn't work for whatever reason: perhaps the system doesn't validate a data element, or a specific document code correctly.

“Issues in the sense of not knowing how to do a customs declaration are not really the same thing, that's something you can solve by going to guidance or assistance.”

For any technical issues, Vick said that HRMC had published advice previously on workarounds to known errors.

“This should be a first port of call if you think you have a technical issue. If it isn’t listed there, you may need to get in touch with HMRC directly.”