In the dynamic world of international logistics and transport, Customs is too often viewed as an inevitable hurdle, a bureaucratic burden that only generates costs and delays. However, this perspective is limited and obsolete.
Today's companies have realized that proactive and precise Customs management is, in fact, a powerful strategic tool for growth and margin optimization. The key is no longer just compliance, but the strategic integration of the Customs function into the core business
Why is it crucial to invest in the Customs function? Because inefficiency is expensive.
Recent studies highlight how regulatory complexity is increasing—think of new sanctions, stricter Rules of Origin, and environmental taxation mechanisms like the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). The CBAM is the new EU mechanism that imposes a price on greenhouse gas emissions embedded in goods imported from non-EU countries, with the goal of preventing the relocation of emissions (known as "carbon leakage").
Companies that do not manage their Customs processes with rigor and expertise are exposed to significant risks:
Delays and Substitutions: In Europe, a large part of Customs clearance delays (up to 40%) are due to avoidable errors in classification or documentation. These delays result in time losses and, worse, container detention costs, which can amount to thousands of euros.
Fiscal Losses: The failure to utilize Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) or incorrect classification leads to overpayment of duties, with annual losses that can reach substantial figures.
Audit Risk: Errors or negligence can lead to retroactive duty adjustments for up to ten years, jeopardizing financial stability.
The solution to these issues is not merely delegation, but making Customs management a strategic asset.
Having a dedicated Customs division within the transport company—or choosing a logistics partner that manages it with this mindset—allows procedures to be turned into opportunities:
Strategic Consulting at the Procurement Stage An expert team can intervene as early as the procurement and product design phase. For example, systematically incorporating aspects related to Rules of Origin and FTAs into supplier management makes it possible to achieve a tangible reduction in duties on purchased components.
Speed and Pre-Clearance Direct expertise enables the use of rapid procedures and tools like pre-clearance and management through Customs warehouses (depositi doganali). A tech group, for instance, reduced its delivery times by 15% thanks to the digitalization of documentation and the efficiency of its procedures.
Maximizing Savings Specialized competence ensures that the most favorable classification codes (TARIC) are always applied and that FTAs are utilized to their full potential. This guarantees paying only the strictly necessary duty, optimizing the final product cost (Landing Cost).
Guaranteed Compliance and Transparency A dedicated team establishes clear governance, creating transparency between payments, declarations, and product master data. This minimizes the risk of error and ensures full regulatory compliance, protecting the company from heavy penalties.
Today, efficiency is supported by technology. While Artificial Intelligence (AI) is starting to automate and improve processes like classification, the real step forward remains data digitalization and the creation of a centralized workflow.
Only through precise data and expert human supervision can digital tools be fully exploited and Customs transformed into a source of competitive advantage. It is not just about fulfilling an obligation, but about driving profit through knowledge and precision.
