Industry update, 30 September 2025

The BIFA Air Cargo Community Advisory Body met to discuss CCS-UK tariff restructuring, as BT has announced changes to charges for inventory-linked import declarations/clearances, in addition to a general 8% increase. Following representations from the group, BT agreed to potentially reconsider the structure and timing of the changes. 

At the BIFA Customs Policy Group, HMRC agreed to review guidance on Due Diligence checks by forwarders, following concerns raised about the quality and reliability of the data held by Companies House. HMRC also agreed to review the guidance available for traders completing ICS2 Entry Summary (ENS) declarations, as there is none currently available. 

HMRC is still awaiting the results of planning and resource/funding allocations for CDS enhancements, but agreed to organise a meeting to gauge trade priorities for the improvements. 

At the BIFA Air Policy Group, it was noted that recent enhancements to air cargo processes and systems, including eRelease notes and eCollection notes, have been approved by Border Force; however, specifications and documentation still need to be published.

 And at HMRC’s recent Stakeholder Conference, ASM Program Manager Simon Adams took part in a workshop panel discussion on the role of intermediaries and software providers in modernising UK tax and customs systems.  

Simon flagged the increasing interest from ASM users keen to integrate Sequoia with their own systems, and discussed the importance of data sharing across all aspects of the customs space, including CDS, Transit, and Safety and Security. 

He noted that “HMRC do seem genuinely committed to openness and transparency - they acknowledged the crucial role of intermediaries - such as forwarders and customs agents – as well as commercial software providers in delivering process and compliance improvements.”