Businesses need to be employing or training employees to have the expertise and skills required to ensure the cost-efficient and seamless movement of goods over borders, especially with Brexit on its way and the customs landscape always evolving, according to the Director General of the Institute of Export & International Trade (IOE&IT).

Addressing this, the UK’s IOE&IT and pan-European KGH Customs Services (KGH) are delighted to announce a new education partnership, launching two new Level 3 certificates in the process – the Certificate in Customs Legislation and Procedures and the Certificate in Customs Duty Calculation.

Lesley Batchelor OBE, Director General of the IOE&IT, said:

“There is a significant need for greater education in customs procedures and legislation. Businesses also need to understand that there are costs involved in international trade that need to be planned for – especially import duty. Those businesses who don’t stay on top of these issues will be the ones that struggle in a post-Brexit trade landscape.

“We are therefore delighted to be working with KGH to deliver courses that give businesses and individuals the knowledge they need to export successfully in the challenging years to come.”

Lars Börjesson, CEO of KGH, added:

“We are very pleased to be working with the UK Institute of Export & International Trade to expand their comprehensive training portfolio through the addition of our specialist certificate courses. We look forward to working with the Institute to provide the highest quality in online training and education for this important business sector.”

Online learning for those who are new to international trade

Both courses, delivered by KGH Trade and Customs Academy on behalf of IOE&IT, are situated online and are designed to fit around a full-time career. Levelled at those who are relatively new to international trade, successful students will be awarded with a Level 3 Certificate.

The Certificate in Customs Legislation and Procedures covers all the basics a business new to international trade needs to know about customs regulations, from the entry of imported goods, through to customs clearance, special customs procedures, and exportation. The course informs a thorough understanding of the various customs procedures and requirements that apply to internationally traded goods.

The Certificate in Customs Duty Calculation gives students a clear understanding of how tariff classification, customs valuation and rules of origin work, allowing them to understand when and how much duty is payable. With WTO rules and newly negotiated Free Trade Agreements set to define the trading landscape for UK exporters and importers in the years to come, these skills could well be life-savers for many businesses.

Both courses also contribute towards the IOE&IT’s CPD programme, enabling enrolled trade professionals to maintain and develop their skills and competence in international trade.