The Customs Watch EU&UK: Edition 23
- Madni Laghari
- Jun 17
- 7 min read
UK-US Deal Signed / New EU Tariffs Against Russia & Belarus / EU-India FTA/South Korea Digital / Import VAT & RGR / NI rules updates / New UK Duty Overpayment Guidance
Edition 23 - Week 25/2025
Period Covered: 10 - 16 June 2025
Published: 17 June 2025
Colleagues,
Welcome to the latest edition of The Customs Watch EU & UK! We’re trialling a new format based on your feedback—no downloads, no PDFs—just everything you need, all in one streamlined update.
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Table of Contents
Top Story
Headlines from the European Union
Headlines for the United Kingdom
Insights
Compliance & Cost Saving Video of the Week
Dates and Deadlines
What's Hot at Customs Manager Ltd
If You Do One Thing This Week, Do This
How To Book A Free Expert Call
Our 4-in-1 Services
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1. Top Story
Zero tariffs for aerospace, cuts for cars – UK importers & exporters, take note!
Download the trade deal and summary
2. Headlines from the European Union
This Weeks Updates
Anti-Dumping Duty (ADD) & Trade Defense
EU imposes definitive countervailing duties of 5.2%–10.3% on optical fibre cables from India to counter unfair subsidies harming EU industry.
EU imposes definitive anti-dumping duties up to 68.3% on vanillin imports from China to protect EU producers from injurious dumping.
EU publishes Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1139 imposing definitive anti-dumping duties on imports of vanillin from China, with rates up to 68.3%.
Trade Agreements
EU and Korea conclude Digital Trade Agreement and launch a Specialised Committee on Emerging Trade Issues, while advancing on SPS, EV subsidies, offshore wind, and CBAM cooperation.
EU and India conclude chapters on Customs, IPR, Transparency, and RoO in FTA Round 11; progress made across SPS, digital trade, services, and TSD as both sides aim to finalise the agreement by end of 2025.
EFTA and Jordan agree to modernise Rules of Origin under their Free Trade Agreement, simplifying origin procedures and improving access for businesses.
Malaysia and Poland reaffirm commitment to strengthen trade and investment ties, with focus on energy, digital economy, and potential bilateral trade agreements.
Court of Justice (CJEU)
CJEU publishes procedural summary of Case C‑112/23 clarifying that import VAT relief under Returned Goods Relief can still apply if there’s no intent to deceive—even when formal customs rules were breached.
CJEU registers new case C-320/25 on 28 April 2025 concerning the interpretation of tariff classification rules under the Combined Nomenclature (CN).
CJEU rules in Case C-782/21 that customs authorities cannot reject repayment of import duties solely due to procedural errors if substantive conditions for relief are met.
CJEU rules in Case C‑90/23 that EU customs authorities must grant Binding Tariff Information (BTI) even when products are not yet imported, clarifying scope of advance rulings.
CJEU registers Case C‑328/25 on 29 April 2025 concerning tariff classification under the Combined Nomenclature, referred by a German court.
Other Updates
EU adopts new tariffs on Russian and Belarusian agricultural goods and fertilisers to curb economic reliance and strengthen food security.
EU adopts Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1174 imposing new tariffs on agricultural products and fertilisers from Russia and Belarus to reduce economic reliance and enhance food security.
EU adopts Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1135 suspending import duties on certain industrial products to support competitiveness and ensure stable supply.
EU to publish official CBAM export-leakage communication this June, confirming an upcoming document addressing how exports of CBAM-covered goods will be treated—part of a wider effort alongside simplification and downstream expansion announced by DG TAXUD .
European Commission proposes Regulation COM(2025) 307 to establish a Union-level risk management framework for improving customs controls, targeting high-risk supply chains and illicit trade.
Answer by Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič to a European Parliament question – EU alignment on Israeli settlement products with UN resolutions
EU Member States endorse Council’s position on revising FDI screening regulation to address emerging threats and improve coordination on foreign investments.
EU advances implementation of Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) chapters across FTAs, with key updates on Vietnam’s trade union law, Central America dialogue, and targeted reviews for Chile and Andean partners.
WTO Deepens Investment Facilitation for Development RolloutNew initiatives target awareness, training tools, and LDC implementation support.
EU notifies WTO (G/TBT/N/EU/1141) of proposed regulation harmonising rules on fertilising products containing certain animal by-products, aiming to ensure safety and market access.
EPPO seizes €950,000 in Italy over suspected customs fraud involving undervalued stainless steel coil imports from China and Taiwan.
Headlines from United Kingdom
This Weeks Updates
Classification & Tariff – UK
UK corrects MFN tariff error for prepared fruit (code 2009819900) and reallocates Turkey’s steel quota to 'all other countries' group after Q4 exhaustion.
Customs – UK CDS System
HMRC updates the UK Trade Tariff Volume 3: CDS Import Declaration Completion Guide, providing revised instructions on data element requirements and procedure codes for UK importers.
HMRC updates Appendix 1 (Data Element 1/10) listing requested and previous procedure codes used in CDS, crucial for correct UK import declaration submissions.
HMRC updates Appendix 2 (Data Element 1/11) with revised Additional Procedure Codes for use in the UK Customs Declaration Service (CDS), guiding accurate import processing.
HMRC updates CDS guidance on Data Element 2/3, detailing document and reference codes (Union) required for customs declarations, including recent code additions and usage rules.
HMRC updates the CDS Simplified Procedures Exclusion List, specifying which procedure and additional procedure codes are not permitted under simplified declaration processes.
HMRC publishes updated 4-digit to 3-digit procedure and additional procedure code correlation matrix for CDS, supporting accurate import declaration mapping.
HMRC updates Declaration Category Data Sets Reading Notes for CDS Volume 3, clarifying how to interpret data set requirements across declaration types.
HMRC updates CDS Volume 3 Export Declaration Completion Guide, providing detailed instructions for completing export declarations under UK customs rules.
HMRC updates Appendix 22 landing page and introduction for Declaration Category Data Sets under CDS, guiding users on declaration types and data requirements.
HMRC updates the reference document for The Customs (Northern Ireland) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, outlining legal provisions governing NI trade post-Brexit.
UK Trade Remedies Authority proposes maintaining anti-dumping duties on Chinese ceramic kitchenware to protect domestic industry from injurious dumping.
HMRC updates CDS guidance on Data Element 2/3 (National), listing national document and reference codes required for UK import and export declarations.
HMRC updates guidance on CDS Data Element 2/3 (Union), detailing required document and reference codes for customs declarations under Union rules.
HMRC updates guidance on applying for repayment of import duty and VAT using CHIEF, including procedures, eligibility, and required documentation.
HMRC updates guidance on using form C285 to apply for repayment of overpaid import duty and VAT, detailing eligibility, documentation, and submission steps.
Insights
Secondhand Classification = First-Class Risk
Trusting your supplier’s classification? It’s a ticking bomb for Customs & Export Compliance across EU, UK, and USA.
Compliance & Cost Saving Video of the Week
5 Customs Classification Mistakes That Cost You Money (and How to Avoid Them)
Are you making costly customs classification mistakes? In this video, we cover 5 essential tips to help you avoid errors in international trade, improve your compliance, and save money. Whether you're handling imports, exports, or working in logistics, these actionable strategies will help you classify goods correctly using the Harmonised System and General Interpretative Rules (GIRs).
✅ Learn how to understand your products fully
✅ Apply the correct GIRs to avoid misclassification
✅ Use Binding Tariff Rulings to minimize risks
✅ Stay up to date with HS2022 and future amendments
✅ Maintain detailed documentation for audits and compliance
Dates and Deadlines
Trade professionals must focus on final EUDR risk classification deadlines, prepare for upcoming CBAM reporting, and monitor the evolving US-EU tariff situation, especially around 9 July. The listed events offer practical insights and compliance training to navigate these regulatory challenges effectively.
EU Customs, Export Controls & Sanctions Events (June 17–30, 2025)
16–19 June 2025 – Plenary Session of the European Parliament – Register
17 June 2025 – Environment Council Meeting (Brussels) – Register
23 June 2025 – Foreign Affairs Council Meeting (Brussels) – Register
26–27 June 2025 – 36th European Customs Law Conference (Linz, Austria) – Register via Uni Münster
UK Customs, Export Controls & Sanctions Events in the EU (June 17–30, 2025)
June 17-19 2025 – Multimodal 2025 (Birmingham, UK) – Supply Chain, Freight & Logistics Expo – Register
June 19, 2025 – Financial Sanctions Compliance for Letting Agents (Online Training) – Register
June 25, 2025 – Free HMRC Webinars for Small Businesses & Sole Traders – Register
What's Hot at Customs Manager Ltd
(June 17–30, 2025)
All events at www.customsmanager.org/events
June 16 – Export Import Kickstarter (Training) – Virtual – Register
June 16 – Rules of Origin, Preference & FTAs (Training) – Virtual – Register
June 16 – Successful Tariff Reduction Strategies (Webinar) – Virtual – Register
June 17 – Customs Classification + Tariff (Training) – Virtual – Register
June 19 – U.S. Export Controls (EAR) (Training) – Virtual – Register
June 19 – Customs Special Procedures (Training) – Virtual – Register
June 19 – U.S. Export Controls (ITAR) (Training) – Virtual – Register
June 19 – Incoterms® (Training) – Virtual – Register
June 23 – The DEFINITE AEO (Training) – Virtual – Register
June 23 – EU-UK Trade: 9 Years Post-Brexit (Webinar) – Virtual – Register
June 24 – Mastering EUDR for Import and Export (Training) – Virtual – Register
June 24 – Export Mastery (Training) – Virtual – Register
If You Do One Thing This Week, Do This
"Check your supply chain and supplier documentation for compliance with current customs and export control regulations.
Mistakes here cost time, money, and serious trouble. A quick audit, clear responsibilities, and updated processes can save your ass.
End of story"
Book a Free Call with Arne
Have a challenge or just want expert eyes on your customs operations?🔗
Book your free one-hour call here: www.customsmanager.org -> Book Expert Call
About Us
This newsletter is for customs professionals in the EU and UK who seek clarity, updates, and actionable insights to stay compliant and ahead in global trade. We're here to keep you informed, protected, and performing.
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