Free Trade Agreement (FTA)

An agreement between two or more countries to trade freely with each other while still being able to set their own tariffs on goods from the rest of the world. FTAs make trade cheaper (by eliminating or reducing customs duties and red tape) and faster (by making transit through customs easier and setting common rules).

Goods or cargo transported (from one place to another) by ship, train, truck, or airplane.

A freight forwarder, forwarder, or forwarding agent, is a company that organises shipments for individuals or corporations to get goods from the manufacturer or producer to a market, customer or final point of distribution.

The EU is a unified trade and monetary body of 27 member states. It eliminates all border controls between members and allows the free flow of goods and people.

One of the 11 current Incoterms® 2020 (see below). Under Ex Works terms, a seller is only responsible for supplying goods at the nominated place (usually their premises) and plays no further part in the transportation process. For further information, please refer to the Incoterms® Guide.

This is the customs rate of exchange that is updated daily and can be found on GOV.UK. For imports declared on CHIEF, the rate of exchange is built into the system so every entry is automatically converted at the current customs rate; however, for imports declared in foreign currency in CDS, traders need to check

Excise Duty is a charge for certain types of goods that include alcohol, tobacco and some energy products. This charge is additional to any Customs Duty which may be due. For further information, please refer to the Controlled Goods Guide.

An EU—wide digital mechanism for controlling the movement of duty suspended excise goods within the EU. It is applied through separate IT systems built and managed by each EU Member State.

An export is when a good produced in one country is shipped to someone in another country for sale, under a contract of sale or a carriage’s agreement. The seller of such goods and services is an exporter; the foreign buyer is an importer. For further information, please refer to the Movement of goods from

The Export Control System (ECS) is the EU system for the control of indirect exports.