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Customs and Excise Management Act 1979, Cross Heading: General provisions relating to imported goods is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 17 August 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
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[F1(1)Where it is impracticable immediately to ascertain whether any or what duty is payable in respect of any imported goods which are entered for home use [F2or for free circulation], whether on importation or from warehouse [F3or free zone], the Commissioners may, if they think fit and notwithstanding any other provision of the Customs and Excise Act 1979, allow those goods to be delivered upon the importer giving security by deposit of money or otherwise to their satisfaction for payment of any amount unpaid which may be payable by way of duty.
[F4(2)The Commissioners may for the purposes of subsection (1) above treat goods as entered for home use notwithstanding that the entry does not contain all the particulars required for perfect entry if it contains as many of those particulars as are then known to the importer, and in that event the importer shall supply the remaining particulars as soon as may be to the Commissioners.]
(3)Where goods are allowed to be delivered under this section, the Commissioners shall, when they have determined the amount of duty which in their opinion is payable, give to the importer a notice specifying that amount.
(4)On the giving of a notice under subsection (3) above the amount specified in the notice or, where any amount has been deposited under subsection (1) above, any difference between those amounts shall forthwith be paid or repaid as the case may require.
(5)Subject to subsection (6) below, if the importer disputes the correctness of the amount specified in a notice given to him under subsection (3) above he may at any time within 3 months of the date of the notice make such a requirement for reference to arbitration or such an application to the court as is provided for by section 127 below, and that section shall have effect accordingly.
(6)No requirement or application shall be made by virtue of subsection (5) above until any sum falling to be paid by the importer under subsection (4) above has been paid, and where any sum so falls to be paid no interest shall be paid under section 127(2) below in respect of any period before that sum is paid.]
Textual Amendments
F1S. 119 omitted (13.9.2018 for specified purposes) by virtue of Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(1)(a), Sch. 7 para. 90
F2Words inserted by Finance Act 1981 (c. 35, SIF 40:1), s. 10(1), Sch. 6 para. 8
F3Words inserted by Finance Act 1984 (c. 43, SIF 40:1), s. 8, Sch. 4 Pt. II para. 4
F4S. 119(2) repealed (prosp.) by Finance Act 1981 (c. 35, SIF 40:1), s. 139(6), Sch. 19 Pt. I
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Textual Amendments
F5S. 120 omitted (13.9.2018 for specified purposes, 31.12.2020 in so far as not already in force) by virtue of Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(1)(a), Sch. 7 para. 91 (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2020/1449, reg. 3 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(a)
Where any question as to the duties of customs or excise chargeable on any imported goods depends on any matter F7... not reasonably ascertainable from an examination of the goods, and that question is not in law conclusively determined by the production of any certificate or other document, then, on the importation of those goods, the Commissioners may impose such conditions as they see fit for the prevention of abuse or the protection of the revenue (including conditions requiring security for the observance of any conditions so imposed).
Textual Amendments
F6Words in s. 121 heading omitted (13.9.2018 for specified purposes, 31.12.2020 in so far as not already in force) by virtue of Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(1)(a), Sch. 7 para. 92(3) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2020/1449, reg. 3 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(a)
F7Words in s. 121 omitted (13.9.2018 for specified purposes, 31.12.2020 in so far as not already in force) by virtue of Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(1)(a), Sch. 7 para. 92(2) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2020/1449, reg. 3 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(a)
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Textual Amendments
F8S. 122 omitted (13.9.2018 for specified purposes, 31.12.2020 in so far as not already in force) by virtue of Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(1)(a), Sch. 7 para. 93 (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2020/1449, reg. 3 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(a)
(1)Subject to such conditions as the Commissioners see fit to impose, where it is shown to the satisfaction of the Commissioners—
(a)that goods were imported in pursuance of a contract of sale and that the description, quality, state or condition of the goods was not in accordance with the contract or that the goods were damaged in transit; and
(b)that the importer with the consent of the seller either—
(i)returned the goods unused to the seller [F9and, if the export of the goods was required to be made in accordance with the applicable export provisions, the requirements were met;] or
(ii)destroyed the goods unused,
the importer shall be entitled to obtain from the Commissioners repayment of any [F10excise duty] paid on the importation of the goods.
(2)Nothing in this section shall apply to goods imported on approval, or on sale or return, or on other similar terms.
Textual Amendments
F9Words in s. 123(1)(b)(i) substituted (13.9.2018 for specified purposes, 31.12.2020 in so far as not already in force) by Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(1)(a), Sch. 7 para. 94 (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2020/1449, reg. 3 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(a)
F10Words substituted by S.I. 1980/1825, reg. 2
(1)Where—
(a)any imported goods have been relieved from customs or excise duty chargeable [F11by reference to] their importation or have been charged with duty at a reduced rate; and
(b)any condition or other obligation required to be complied with in connection with the relief or with the charge of duty at that rate is not complied with,
the goods shall be liable to forfeiture.
(2)The provisions of this section shall apply whether or not any undertaking [F12, security or other guarantee] has been given for compliance with the condition or obligation or for the payment of the duty payable apart therefrom, and the forfeiture of any goods under this section shall not affect any liability of any person who has given any such undertaking [F12, security or other guarantee].
Textual Amendments
F11Words in s. 124(1)(a) substituted (13.9.2018 for specified purposes, 31.12.2020 in so far as not already in force) by Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(1)(a), Sch. 7 para. 95(2) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2020/1449, reg. 3 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(a)
F12Words in s. 124(2) substituted (13.9.2018 for specified purposes, 31.12.2020 in so far as not already in force) by Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(1)(a), Sch. 7 para. 95(3) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2020/1449, reg. 3 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(a)
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Textual Amendments
F13S. 125 omitted (13.9.2018 for specified purposes, 31.12.2020 in so far as not already in force) by virtue of Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(1)(a), Sch. 7 para. 96 (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2020/1449, reg. 3 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(a)
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1S. 125(1)(2) restricted (1.8.2021) by S.I. 1995/2518, regs. 133AB(c), 133L, 133N (as inserted by The Value Added Tax (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/715), regs. 1, 43, 47)
C2S. 125(3) modified (1.8.2021) by S.I. 1995/2518, regs. 133AE(1), 133L (as inserted by The Value Added Tax (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/715), regs. 1, 43, 47)
(1)Subject to subsections (2) to (4) below, if any imported goods contain as a part or ingredient thereof any article chargeable with excise duty, excise duty shall be chargeable on the goods in respect of each such article according to the quantity thereof appearing to the Commissioners to be used in the manufacture or preparation of the goods.
(2)Where, in the opinion of the Treasury, it is necessary for the protection of the revenue, such imported goods shall be chargeable with the amount of excise duty with which they would be chargeable if they consisted wholly of the chargeable article or, if the goods contain more than one such article, of that one of the chargeable articles which will yield the highest amount of excise duty.
(3)Schedule 2 to this Act shall have effect with respect to the excise duties to be charged, and the excise drawbacks to be allowed, on imported composite goods containing a dutiable part or ingredient and with respect to rebates and drawbacks of excise duties charged in accordance with that Schedule.
(4)Subsections (1) and (2) above do not apply where other provision is made by any other enactment relating to excise duties on imported goods.
(5)Any rebate which can be allowed by law on any article when separately charged shall be allowed in charging goods under subsection (1) or (2) above in respect of any quantity of that article used in the manufacture or preparation of the goods.
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C3S. 126 excluded (20.10.1995) by S.I. 1995/2518, reg. 118(c)(iii)
C4S. 126 excluded (1.8.2021) by S.I. 1995/2518, regs. 133AB(c), 133L, 133N (as inserted by The Value Added Tax (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/715), regs. 1, 43, 47)
Textual Amendments
F14S. 127 repealed (1.1.1995) by 1994 c. 9, ss. 18(3), 258, Sch. 26 Pt. III Note (with s. 19(3)); S.I. 1994/2679, art. 3 (with art. 4(3))
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