NewswireTODAY - /newswire/ - Luxembourg, Luxembourg, 2012/05/31 - CHAMP Cargosystems today announced that carriers and forwarders can now exchange mandatory messages with the customs authorities in India using the CHAMP automated Global Customs Gateway (GCG) service - SITA.aero.

CHAMP's service already facilitates message exchange between carriers and 31 other customs authorities around the globe including the authorities in Canada, Mexico, Liberia and EU. The advanced customs solution converts messages to the specific protocols and formats required by the different authorities, simplifying the process and reducing declaration errors.

Global Customs Gateway is the only service available to carriers that also sends automatic responses and messages which alert users to the changing status of customs filing. This proactive messaging will enable carriers to remain fully up to date on all their filings with the Indian customs authorities at all times.

In 2003, India Customs EDI System (ICES) was one of the first customs authorities to mandate electronic advanced manifest filing and it is now planning to expand its data capture. This will place an additional requirement on carriers and forwarders as ICES uniquely identifies both the carrier and the forwarder as recognized traders.

James Fernandez, Vice President Global Commercial Operations, CHAMP, said: "Most states place the responsibility for complying with advanced customs information legislation with the carrier. In India, this obligation is placed on carriers and forwarders. The challenge for our customers – carriers, ground handlers and forwarders – is to meet the requirements efficiently. Using CHAMP's GCG ensures a customer complies with the regulatory requirements of the various authorities. By facilitating compliance and providing proactive updates and alerts, it also avoids freight being held or delayed by customs and reduces the risk of being fined or embargoed."

More than 60 carriers and ground handlers already use the CHAMP application for the European Union Import Control System (EU ICS) which was implemented two years ago for the European Union customs territory covering 27 EU member states plus Norway and Switzerland.

Agency / Source: Société Internationale de Télécommunications

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