HMRC Customs Declaration Service

The UK customs authority HMRC is closing its Customs Handling of Import Freight (CHIEF) system and it is being replaced by the Customs Declaration Service (CDS) as the new UK’s single customs platform.

Import declarations close on CHIEF 30th September 2022 and services will be completely withdrawn.

What’s the difference?

Essentially, this is a move from using paper-based rules on CHIEF to data processing rules on CDS. For declarations, ‘Boxes’ in CHIEF are being replaced with ‘Data Elements’ in CDS. While boxes and data elements perform similar functions, they are not ‘like for like’. In CHIEF, up to 68 boxes are completed for imports, in CDS, we may need to complete up to 76 data elements.

There is no 1-2-1 correlation between CHIEF CPCs and CDS Procedure Codes (PCs) / Additional Procedure Codes (APCs). CHIEF CPCs are unique to a goods item whereas CDS PCs / APCs are multiple, interchangeable combinations depending on circumstances.

Click here to read further information regarding data requirements for the Customs Declaration Service (CDS).  

Click here for updated commercial invoice requirement.

If you are an existing Whistl customer please speak to your account manager to discuss the changes further.