From the amusing to business in customs

Digital filing – how to keep your document management securely under control

You know how it is – you empty your mailbox, scan documents, file them in the corresponding folders on your drive and also keep a physical filing system. But every now and then you also receive documents, invoices or correspondence by e-mail. Do you print them out? Or what happens to all the paperwork? How […]

The customs inspector is coming – there is strength in calm! How to stay calm and be optimally prepared

“Dear Sir or Madam, I am enclosing the order for the customs inspection.”The letter from the main customs office with the inspection order to the authorised recipient in your company – no need to panic. First of all, it is important that you read the inspection order carefully to find out exactly what it is […]

Atlas Impost- off to the post office! How e-commerce and small consignments are handled now

Especially in the area of e-commerce, but also for mail and courier consignments, the submission of an electronic customs declaration has been mandatory since the middle of last year for the import of small consignments from non-EU countries with a value of up to 150 euros. The exemption from import turnover tax for goods with […]

The Russia sanctions – this is not only about legal issues, but also about business practices

No topic is as present at the moment as the developments on the topic of Russia and Ukraine. Normally, in articles on sanctions, we would write soberly what the law says. What is allowed and what is not, and where are there “grey areas”? Here it is different. We are in the middle of it, […]

And now it’s time to innovate – yes, you can! Three tips on how you can learn to innovate

This news still make us proud. But what does innovation actually mean? If we consult Wikipedia, it is derived from innovation, renewal. In colloquial language, one speaks of ideas and inventions. And what does the customs sector and our daily work have to do with innovation? We are not reinventing the law, at least not […]

Who or what is the customs representative?

For some suffering, for others passion You have probably heard the term “customs representative”, “customs officer” or “customs coordinator” before. Basically, the appointed person is responsible for ensuring that customs-related processes are carried out in a legally compliant manner. After the appointment, however, the tasks and responsibilities often remain rather vaguely defined and the company […]

Change in training due to increasing digitalisation in customs and export control

I still remember. I used to travel a lot – to seminars at clients’ or education partners’ premises. Usually it was a half or full day event with a delicious lunch, exchange between participants and an “experience” for those who attended the seminar. Today, this world already looks different. I am hardly ever on the […]

The future of customs audits – it doesn’t always need an external view

It doesn’t matter if you have been working in the company for a while and know the weak points, or if you are new and want to get an overview first. A status quo of the customs and export control relevant processes in the company is important for an effective internal control system (ICS) as […]

Ticket systems – a useful and efficient tool?

“A ticket with the number 0815 has been created for you”. The issue with tickets always has a bad reputation when you don’t get an answer to your request. It often has something impersonal about it. You are just a “number”. However, ticket systems can also be a useful tool in the customs department to […]

Swiss customs as a digital leader? The DaziT transformation program What can we learn from our neighbour in terms of digitalization?

In customs matters Switzerland sometimes is one step ahead. Among other things, there is already the app “Quick Zoll”, with which private individuals can clear customs themselves, and the transformation program “DaziT”. We heard about this at the IHK Customs Forum on Digitalization at the Chamber of Commerce (IHK) Middle Lower Rhine on August 19, […]

The Harmonised System – an overview of the most important changes for you 

You have just correctly determined your customs tariff numbers and already something is changing again. That’s exactly how it is with customs tariff numbers every year. And every five years, including the year 2022, the customs tariff numbers in the Harmonised System change. The Harmonised System is one of the most important basics that you […]

KEY FIGURES IN CUSTOMS AND EXPORT CONTROL

Imagine sitting at your desk and looking at your “dashboard” as a digital tool that displays all the key figures and risk parameters that are important to you, such as the company’s import and export operations. But you can easily filter for special information, such as exports to certain countries or country groups. You can […]

OCR technology for digital customs processing – What is it and what is it for?

Do you know the situation of having to type data from an invoice or other paper document into a system, for example for the customs declaration? Unfortunately, this is often time-consuming and also error-prone, because the currency can be mistyped or a number error can creep in with the invoice values. Digitization in customs processing […]

Digital Mindset – the basic building block for the future?

You hear more and more in companies: “We need a digital mindset”. Great, another buzz word like New-Work, Agile structures… and what does that mean exactly? Do we all have to be able to program in the future, too, or does it simply mean a different basic attitude towards faster developments, changes in structures and […]

22 Euro limit dropped – will customs processing turn digital now?

If you currently order a cell phone case for 5 Euros in China, neither the 19% import turnover tax, nor customs duties are due. That makes it very attractive for providers like Wish and co. to trade internationally today. But not for much long: it will soon become more expensive. With the IT process ATLAS […]

Digital twin – application examples for the customs world

Before a t-shirt ends up in our closet, it has come a long way. What if I design my t-shirt on the computer and send it off for a test run? Let’s imagine that my digital t-shirt is a data cloud to which additional attributes are assigned and data are assigned at each station in […]

Master data maintenance: So you are well positioned with best practice tips before, during and after projects

As you probably know from your own experience, almost all areas related to customs are data-driven. Often there is a lack of data to complete customs declarations, supplier declarations, certificates of origin or simply the correct customs tariff number. Therefore, a clean master data management is essential for every company. This not only guarantees the […]

Is good master data the foundation of digitization?

As we’re asking like this, you will surely already guess the answer: Yes, master data is a decisive factor for successful digitization – if you understand how to use it correctly. You can find out why this is the case and how you can ensure good quality master data in this article!   Without a […]

Artificial intelligence, machine learning and algorithms in the world of customs – how does they work and will I be superfluous as a customs expert?

Artificial intelligence is advancing and covers tasks in a wide variety of industries – including in the world of customs. However, that does not mean that you, as a customs expert, are superfluous. Instead, AI makes your day-to-day work easier. We’ll explain how exactly, using the example of the AI ​​that we use at Grenzlotsen! […]

Automatic Interface to the ELAN-K2 Export System – Upload BAFA Reports Quickly and Automatically

Exports subject to licensing for which general licences are used by the Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA) must be reported semi-annually via the ELAN-K2 portal. This takes time because many each process involves a lot of details. It is particularly tedious and time-consuming when the required data must first be collected […]

Our pens go on a journey and overcome borders

New Logo – New Pens We changed our logo this year and our “old” unused pens and notepads were therefore no longer used in our office. It is our personal concern that these materials are still used and available to other people. This is how we came across the initiative „Stiften stiften“. The initiative has set […]

Take off with Grenzlotsen – Love at first click

When I was looking for a new challenge and a possible position to start my career after finishing my studies, I became aware of the company Grenzlotsen. I was immediately struck by the unusual job advertisement. In contrast to many other companies, I felt directly addressed and was enthusiastic about the open way Grenzlotsen communicates […]

Employee Development Rethought – Bringing Horsepower (PS) from the Company on the Road

We do not want managers in the company Our company is growing rapidly and more and more colleagues are coming on board. We at Grenzlotsen are not organized hierarchically and deploy employees according to their strengths and interests. However, we often see employees who do not yet know their individual strengths and interests, or do […]

When work and a bachelor’s thesis complement each other, both become easier – about founders, customs, and company development

Founders, Entrepreneurs, Businessmen, Developer – was macht sie besonders? If you ask a hundred people what their first impression is when they think of the word “founder” or “entrepreneur”, you are bound to get many answers. The most basic response is typically, “someone who founds a company.” Who is this someone and what makes him […]

Everything turned out differently than expected – Grenzlotsen exceed their own borders

I would never have thought that If I had been asked some time ago whether I would like to start a blog with Grenzlotsen, I would certainly have replied, “Absolutely not!”. But here I am and I now know to say, “Never say never.” Furthermore, I would not have thought that in 2020, Grenzlotsen would […]