ATA carnet – what is it and when is it required?

ATA carnet – what is it?

An ATA Carnet (Admission Temporaire / Temporary Admission) is an international customs document that facilitates the temporary import of goods into countries that are parties to the ATA Convention without the need to pay customs duties and taxes.

When is an ATA carnet used?

An ATA Carnet is required when you want to temporarily export goods outside your country or the European Union without paying customs duties and taxes in the destination country. This document acts as a “passport for goods” and simplifies customs formalities related to temporary importation and re-export.

It is most commonly used for:

• participation in trade fairs and exhibitions,
• transport of professional equipment (e.g. technical, film, music, or construction equipment),
• shipment of commercial samples,
• sports or artistic trips involving personal equipment.

An ATA Carnet is particularly useful when the goods are intended to return to the country in an unchanged condition and will not be sold abroad. Thanks to this document, you avoid the need to provide customs guarantees separately in each country and significantly speed up border clearance procedures.

The document is accepted in more than 70 countries and considerably simplifies customs procedures by eliminating the need to submit separate customs declarations in each country.

How to obtain an ATA carnet?

To obtain an ATA Carnet, an appropriate application must be submitted to a chamber of commerce. The application should include detailed information about the goods to be exported and the purpose of their export.

The chamber of commerce verifies the application by checking whether the applicant meets all requirements and whether the goods qualify for the ATA procedure. After successful verification, the chamber issues the ATA Carnet, which can then be used for the temporary export of goods to countries that are parties to the ATA Convention.

This process significantly simplifies international transport by eliminating the need to submit separate customs declarations in each country.