The seminar promoted jointly by the Customs and Monopolies Agency and Assonime on the theme "Customs skills for business activity - the classification of goods" was held today in Milan, at the Stelline Congress Centre. The workshop was the first of a series of meetings with companies that the Association of joint-stock companies and the Customs and Monopolies Agency will dedicate over the course of the year to an in-depth study of the fundamental institutes for the application of customs duties – the classification, origin and value of goods – issues that affect all business sectors involved in contractual dynamics with foreign markets (management, taxation, finance, compliance, logistics, commercial, supply chain, accounting and administration, security, etc.).
The customs sector has assumed strategic importance for companies following the unprecedented development of transnational trade relations. Italian exports - recent Istat data attest - recorded an increase of 2017% in 7,4 compared to the previous year, for an amount of exports equal to approximately 448 billion euros, and our imports continue to grow greater than 9%, reaching 400 billion. The performance of the "Made in Italy" in international trade is demonstrated by the trade balance surplus, equal to 47,5 billion euros, which rises to 81 if the energy component is not considered.
For these considerations, a high standard of customs culture has become a priority for Italian companies, especially those most exposed to international competition.
In this scenario, compliance is starting to become the cornerstone of the tax-taxpayer relationship at the level of the entire tax sector, given the evident convergence of the basic principles that characterize the institution of direct taxes and VAT with the provisions in force in customs matters.
“The objective of the seminars promoted by Assonime and by the Customs and Monopolies Agency – underlined the Deputy General Manager of Assonime Ivan Vacca – is to spread awareness among companies of the importance that correct customs planning can assume on the activity and on corporate strategic decisions. Today's topic, dedicated to the classification of goods, touches upon a preliminary aspect for the correct determination of the tax obligation: goods which are subject to trade with third countries must necessarily be identified by a classification code among those present in the Common Customs Tariff. It is fundamental for the correct application, also to the advantage of the taxpayer, of the tariff".
“Customs planning as a management leverage – Cinzia Bricca remarked in turn, deputy director of the Customs and Monopolies Agency – can reduce costs and times by affecting all the traditional company functions. The establishment of a loyal and collaborative relationship with the customs makes it possible to optimize the times of procedures and obligations by integrating the customs moment in the logistics chain and benefiting from procedural simplifications and fewer controls".
