An introduction to the new ATA carnet app, being developed by the ICC on behalf of all carnet member countries.
The ATA carnet system is not quite ready to go digital but the future is clear, within a year or two, no paperwork to contend with.
Dynamic took part in a digital carnet trial last summer and the approach worked well, already demonstrating potential to speed up transit and eliminate error. This can only encourage wider use of an already popular system.
A Busy Year Gone By
2022 saw the winter Olympics in Beijing, where 120,000 pieces of equipment arrived on a carnet and the world cup, with a similar volume of use. Many types of items were involved, with media equipment holding a strong presence.
The coming year will see the rugby world cup in France and other international sporting events. ATA carnets will again play their part, although their continued use as part of global trade is equally important.
Over 150,000 carnets were issued in 2022 and even without an Olympics, or major football event, that number could be surpassed in 2023. Membership of the carnet family has increased and recent needs remain in place.
Post Brexit Activity
Following Brexit, both parties wisely decided not to try to implement a new approach for temporary exports, preferring the proven system to trial and error.
ATA carnet traffic between the UK and EU is already significant and may again increase in 2023. UK users know this is the best route for temporary export and use in the other direction is also picking up.
We have seen posts from French orchestras, Scandinavian artists and German technology vendors about their ATA carnet journeys to the UK this December. An extra task but not too onerous and no issues were reported.
Increased UK Carnet Use
Promised trade deals may be hard to spot but UK companies are looking beyond Europe to a greater extent. ATA carnets play a key role in finding and establishing business, so volume and destination range are likely to increase.
Getting used to carnets for existing trade routes such as the EU is helping to bring fresh ideas. As businesses see that the approach is usable and reliable, they are encouraged to look at new places to trade with.
They may also be encouraged by the advent of digital carnets, an approach which will apply to more travel requirements. Travel to the EU is becoming digital, the UK government are trialling digital borders at airports.
The story of the next few years will be about digital transformation. Our team look forward to this and will be here to help our clients with changes. In the meantime, we wish you a merry Christmas and a great year to come in 2023.