TITLE IIICUSTOMS DEBT AND GUARANTEES

CHAPTER 1Incurrence of a customs debt

Section 3Provisions common to customs debts incurred on import and export

Article 83Prohibitions and restrictions

1.

The customs debt on import or export shall be incurred even if it relates to goods which are subject to measures of prohibition or restriction on import or export of any kind.

2.

However, no customs debt shall be incurred on either of the following:

(a)

the unlawful introduction into the customs territory of the Union of counterfeit currency;

(b)

the introduction into the customs territory of the Union of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances other than where strictly supervised by the competent authorities with a view to their use for medical and scientific purposes.

3.

For the purposes of penalties as applicable to customs offences, the customs debt shall nevertheless be deemed to have been incurred where, under the law of a Member State, import or export duty or the existence of a customs debt provide the basis for determining penalties.

Article 84Several debtors

Where several persons are liable for payment of the amount of import or export duty corresponding to one customs debt, they shall be jointly and severally liable for payment of that amount.

Article 85General rules for calculating the amount of import or export duty

1.

The amount of import or export duty shall be determined on the basis of those rules for calculation of duty which were applicable to the goods concerned at the time at which the customs debt in respect of them was incurred.

2.

Where it is not possible to determine precisely the time at which the customs debt is incurred, that time shall be deemed to be the time at which the customs authorities conclude that the goods are in a situation in which a customs debt has been incurred.

However, where the information available to the customs authorities enables them to establish that the customs debt had been incurred prior to the time at which they reached that conclusion, the customs debt shall be deemed to have been incurred at the earliest time that such a situation can be established.

Article 86Special rules for calculating the amount of import duty

1.

Where costs for storage or usual forms of handling have been incurred within the customs territory of the Union in respect of goods placed under a customs procedure or in temporary storage, such costs or the increase in value shall not be taken into account for the calculation of the amount of import duty where satisfactory proof of those costs is provided by the declarant.

However, the customs value, quantity, nature and origin of non-Union goods used in the operations shall be taken into account for the calculation of the amount of import duty.

2.

Where the tariff classification of goods placed under a customs procedure changes as a result of usual forms of handling within the customs territory of the Union, the original tariff classification for the goods placed under the procedure shall be applied at the request of the declarant.

3.

Where a customs debt is incurred for processed products resulting from the inward processing procedure, the amount of import duty corresponding to such debt shall, at the request of the declarant, be determined on the basis of the tariff classification, customs value, quantity, nature and origin of the goods placed under the inward processing procedure at the time of acceptance of the customs declaration relating to those goods.

4.

In specific cases, the amount of import duty shall be determined in accordance with paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Article without a request of the declarant in order to avoid the circumvention of tariff measures referred to in point (h) of Article 56(2).

5.

Where a customs debt is incurred for processed products resulting from the outward processing procedure or replacement products as referred to in Article 261(1), the amount of import duty shall be calculated on the basis of the cost of the processing operation undertaken outside the customs territory of the Union.

6.

Where the customs legislation provides for a favourable tariff treatment of goods, or for relief or total or partial exemption from import or export duty pursuant to points (d) to (g) of Article 56(2), Articles 203, 204, 205 and 208 or Articles 259 to 262 of this Regulation or pursuant to Council Regulation (EC) No 1186/2009 of 16 November 2009 setting up a Community system of reliefs from customs duty15 such favourable tariff treatment, relief or exemption shall also apply in cases where a customs debt is incurred pursuant to Articles 79 or 82 of this Regulation, on condition that the failure which led to the incurrence of a customs debt did not constitute an attempt at deception.

Article 87Place where the customs debt is incurred

1.

A customs debt shall be incurred at the place where the customs declaration or the re-export declaration referred to in Articles 77, 78 and 81 is lodged.

In all other cases, the place where a customs debt is incurred shall be the place where the events from which it arises occur.

If it is not possible to determine that place, the customs debt shall be incurred at the place where the customs authorities conclude that the goods are in a situation in which a customs debt is incurred.

2.

If the goods have been placed under a customs procedure which has not been discharged or when a temporary storage did not end properly, and the place where the customs debt is incurred cannot be determined pursuant to the second or third subparagraphs of paragraph 1 within a specific time-limit, the customs debt shall be incurred at the place where the goods were either placed under the procedure concerned or were introduced into the customs territory of the Union under that procedure or were in temporary storage.

3.

Where the information available to the customs authorities enables them to establish that the customs debt may have been incurred in several places, the customs debt shall be deemed to have been incurred at the place where it was first incurred.

4.

If a customs authority establishes that a customs debt has been incurred under Article 79 or Article 82 in another Member State and the amount of import or export duty corresponding to that debt is lower than EUR 10 000, the customs debt shall be deemed to have been incurred in the Member State where the finding was made.

Article 88Delegation of power

The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts, in accordance with Article 284, in order to determine:

  1. (a)

    the rules for the calculation of the amount of import or export duty applicable to goods for which a customs debt is incurred in the context of a special procedure, which supplement the rules laid down in Articles 85 and 86;

  2. (b)

    the cases referred to in Article 86(4);

  3. (c)

    the time-limit referred to in Article 87(2).