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International rules

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International rules

Incoterms 2000

In order to avoid any risk of misunderstanding, the primary function of Incoterms is to define the conditions and critical point of the place where goods are delivered. Legally, the risk transfer point between seller and buyer takes place at this delivery spot. From there is determined the associated sales terms: at Departure point, the seller is supposed to have fulfilled his obligations in his country. At Arrival point, the seller has fulfilled them when the goods are delivered to the buyer (or his representative) according to the terms of the contract.

Customs

Since January 1st 1993, customs and tax clearance are suppressed at borders for intra-EC transports. No customs documentation is required for transportation between two countries members of the EC, except for products subject to excise duty such as : wine, alcohol, ...

However, you ought to  :

• Declare any sales contracted with a customer within the EC. This declaration of goods exchange (DEB) has to be filled in once a month and includes between 3 and 13 categories of information.

• Archive all original documents proving the genuineness of the transportation outside France (transport contract, delivery receipt..) and justifying the sales excluding VAT.

• Mention on your intra-EC invoices and DEB your VAT identification number delivered by your Tax office.

If you export on a regular basis, Customs will make your work easier by offering you the possibility to administrate electronically your documents with IDEP/CN8 software. You can also use the Minitel 3615 DOUANETEL. In both cases, you will find there the necessary codes for your declarations, especially the product nomenclature.

For your trade outside EC, you ought to use a document administratif unique (DAU), an 8-page form including 54 categories. The pages to be filled in vary according to the type of trade: import, export, intra-EC transit operation.

There are ways to simplify procedures, customs clear at your premises by establishing an agreement with the Customs services, enabling you to export 24h/day or to anticipate a customs clearance, before delivery.

When importing, it is possible to keep the goods under customs in suspension of rights and / or taxes in order to keep the goods in stock, process or re-ship them, attend a show, test the goods.

The bonded goods system is well accepted in many countries. You may leave for instance a stock of spare parts bonded at your customer premises.

In the case of temporary export ( for your samples, work material or exhibition material ) to around 40 countries, you may use the ATA (delivered by the Chamber of Commerce) : the ATA enables a tax and customs duties suspension as well as the possibility to anticipate all customs formalities (import, export, transit). For goods exported and re-imported without any modification, the ATA works as an actual passport for goods, with a one year validity, for as many operations as needed.

For more information, each Regional Customs Office offers a free of charge Help Desk service for companies wishing to define the most adequate procedures according to their activities.

For regions with zip codes 78-91-92-95, call +33 (0)1 39 21 50 24 or fax your questions:+33 (0)1 34 51 30 78. You can also check the National Customs Web site : www.finances.gouv.fr/douanes.

For your information, Rueil-Export holds a complete documentation on Customs issues, 
do not hesitate to contact us

In 1992, a "consumer protection" law was signed in Russia. Since then, more than 60% of goods (local and imported) are subject to a compulsory certification system in order to ensure their conformity to Russian technical regulations.

This information report has been made available to Rueil-Export by Bureau Veritas and the Société Générale de Surveillance, accredited by the authorities of the Russian Federation as the certification organisation. This enables French exporters to obtain necessary certifications prior to goods shipment.

1/  «GOSSTANDART » Certification ( GOST-R system )
Main concerned products :
- Agri-food, wine, alcohol, liquors, toys and games... 
- Medical material, sporting and leisure goods, textile and clothing industry products 
- Electrical products and appliances, industrial equipment, chemicals
- Cosmeticses, electronic, audio, video products, automotive parts and accessories 

In case of export towards Russia, the exporter ought to produce at customs clearance for the above mentioned types of products a "CONFIRMITY CERTIFICATE", in the scope of the GOST-R product certification program ruled by the Russian Federation State Comity for the Standardization and Metrology (GOSSTANDART).
GOST-R certification mainly deals with safety, security, health and environmental protection, according to Russian standards for local and imported products.
According to the nature of products and production specificities, certification is based on inspections, analysis, audit and/or documentation compliance procedures. 
When these procedures are accomplished the authorities issue an official Russian Conformity Certificate, as a guarantee of the products conformity with the Russian Federation standards.
The Conformity Certificate is crucial at the moment of going through customs. Not being able to produce it may cause huge delays or even make customs clearance impossible.

2/ « GOSSTANDART » Conformity Mark
Since 1997, the Conformity Mark on the product or on the packaging is mandatory for all products that have to be certificated GOST-R.
The Conformity Mark does not replace the Conformity Certificate at customs clearance. It only proves that products have been inspected by an appointed organisation, which makes the products transport easier on the Russian market. Besides, this mark is now well known among Russian consumers and therefore works as a positive marketing tool in Russia.
The right to use Gosstandard Conformity Mark with a certification number in GOST-R system is delivered by your Certification organisation in a Licence form.
Besides, all products likely to be commercialized on the Russian Federation territory need to be labelled in Russian language.

3/  Hygiene Certification ( GOSSANEPIDNADZOR system )
The GOSSANEPIDNADZOR Hygiene Certification (dependent on the Russian Health Ministry) is mandatory for u number of products :
- Agrifood, textile, clothing industry, cosmetics
- Machinery for agrifood industry, toys and games, building material
- Polymere and synthetic material, domestic appliances, furniture
- Chemicals with skin contact, medical devices, air-conditioners
- Machinery for water treatment, rubber for agrifood products and drinking water
- Industrial goods in contact with medical applications (non restricting list)

Should this certification be required, it has to be obtained prior to GOST-R mandatory certification.
The reference to HYGIENE CERTIFICATION is mandatory on the GOST-R conformity certificate.
This Hygiene Certificate is issued by a Russian state-owned organisation in charge of hygiene and epidemiology, the GOSSANEPIDNADZOR, after obtaining satisfying results to the required analysis and tests.
Bureau Veritas or SGS certification organisations can obtain accreditation by GOSSANEPIDNADZOR to conduct analysis and prepare the submission to the Russian authorities.

4/ GOSGORTECHNADZOR (GGTN)

Obtaining the « GGTN PERMIT» is necessary for the installation of selected industrial equipment in Russia; there again, it has to be obtained prior to GOST-R certification :
- Equipment linked to oil and gas industries (exploration, exploitation, refining, transport, stocking)
- Equipment linked to mining industry
- Equipment linked to chemical and petrochemical industries
- Pressure machinery
- Heating systems
- Explosion-proof equipment
- Cranes
- Elevators... (non restricting list)

The licence is exclusively delivered by the Russian GOSGORTECHNADZOR (equivalent to the "Direction des Mines"). SGS is accredited by GGTN to conduct inspections on technical documentation submitted by the exporter and to prepare a technical submission to be sent to GGTN for approval and licence issue.
Russian authorities also require for specific products a "TECHNICAL PASSPORT" besides GGTN licence. This technical passport has to be established according to GGTN standards prior to registration by this state-owned organisation. The technical passport should accompany the equipment during the whole exploitation process.

5/ GOSSTROY CERTIFICATION 
This GOSSTANDART certification is issued by the Construction State Comity (GOSSTROY) and is required for construction equipment.

6/ ELECTRO-MAGNETIC COMPATIBILITY CERTIFICATION 
Electric equipment has to comply with Russian electromagnetic standards. This certification also has to be issued prior to GOST-R certification.

7/ OTHER CERTIFICATIONS
There are other kinds of mandatory certifications required by Russian authorities for specific products and for which SGS is able to assist exporters.

8/ OTHER CIS STATES
The same certification process is mandatory in other CIS states. If identical to those required by the Russian Federation, Bureau Veritas or SGS are entitled to issue such certificates without further analysis. SGS is accredited for the following countries : KAZAKHSTAN, MOLDAVIA, TURKMENISTAN.
Further information is available at Rueil-Export, Bureau Veritas and SGS offices.

EXPORTING VIA AN INSPECTION COMPANY