AEO - MCCS

What is the institution of the Approved Economic Operator (AEO)?

The need to ensure the transactions governed by customs legislation both within the European Union and with third countries, as well as the necessity for economic operators to comply with specific rules of protection and security, led the Community to the institution of the Approved Economic Operator (AEO).

The AEO program was designed after the US introduced c-TRAP (Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism) as a similar security program approved by the World Customs Organization, following the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

The purpose of both programs is to strengthen safeguards within the global supply chain, focusing primarily on security and compliance.

The intention of the Community is to grant the license of the Approved Economic Operator (AEO) to certified reliable economic entities, which will benefit both in terms of simplifications provided by customs legislation, and in terms of facilities related to customs controls.

The aim of the Approved concept is to provide mutual recognition at an international level. This means faster customs clearance of goods, avoiding time-consuming procedures and ultimately increasing efficiency and competitiveness.

The recognition of an economic operator as Approved, according to the new Union Customs Code (Reg. 952/2013 (L 269/10.10.2013) which has been in effect since May 1, 2016, is an important advantage, as it now establishes it as a reliable business partner in the context of the international supply chain, with many more privileges and strict compliance criteria, in relation to other economic operators.

If the organization is also approved in terms of security and protection conditions, then this status is a certification of commercial solvency and reliability.

Advantages of AEO license holders

The Approved Economic Operator (AEO) license is an internationally recognized quality mark, indicating that a company’s role in the international supply chain is secure and that customs controls and procedures are effective and compliant.

Since May 2016 the new EU Customs code is in force, if your company is involved in international trade, it will already be greatly affected by the changes regarding financial consequences and customs compliance due to the new mandatory guarantees. With the certification of the license of the Approved Financial Entity you will be able to have many more privileges compared to other financial entities.

Direct benefits of AEO license holders:

Reduced guarantees for AEO license holders compared to other economic operators, by 50% in temporary storage, by 50% in customs storage and by 30% in tax warehouses
Easier to apply for customs simplifications with just one simple application because the criteria for granting these permits coincide with those for granting an AEO permit
Fewer physical and document checks than other financial operators by at least 50%. In addition, AEO license holders are subject to fewer security and safety checks
Priority by the relevant customs authority in processing cargoes selected for physical inspection
Selection of the location of the inspections where the cost and delay will be low enough for the approved
Reduced data set for import – export summary statements
Notifications prior to inspections
Recognition of AEO as a secure business partner in the supply chain that meets all security and protection criteria
Mutual recognition of AEO programs in the framework of bilateral agreements between the EU and third countries such as Switzerland, Norway, Japan, USA and China

Έμμεσα οφέλη Κατόχων αδειών ΑΕΟ:

Increasing loyal customers, through recognition as a reliable business partner
AEO logo usage, as a sign of quality and reliability
Limiting theft and loss
Reduction of delays in shipments of goods
Reducing the cost of supplier audits
Improvement of planning processes
Active participation of employees
Reduction of problems through early identification by employees
Easier affiliation to other international certifications (Authorized Agent, Authorized Consignee, ISPS, etc.)

All the above advantages bring multiple benefits within the framework of the mutual recognition των προγραμμάτων ΑΕΟ μεταξύ της ΕΕ και τρίτων χωρών (π.χ. ΗΠΑ, Ιαπωνία), καθώς οι ΑΕΟ θεωρούνται αξιόπιστοι και στις χώρες αυτές. Αποτέλεσμα είναι να απολαμβάνουν τα πλεονεκτήματα τους κατά την τήρηση των τελωνειακών διατυπώσεων στις εν λόγω χώρες, αλλά και να ανοίγονται νέες αγορές και ευκαιρίες, όντας αναγνωρισμένοι αξιόπιστοι επιχειρηματικοί εταίροι.

Types of AEO Licenses

AEOC: AEO License – Customs Simplifications.

It is granted to economic operators established in the EU Community who request to benefit from the simplifications provided by the customs legislation.

AEOF: AEO License – Customs simplifications / Safety and security.

It is granted to economic operators established in the EU Community, who request to benefit from facilities, regarding customs controls related to security and protection.

Who is eligible to apply for the Approved Economic Entity license?

Αιτήσεις για το καθεστώς του ΑΕΟ μπορούν να γίνουν δεκτές μόνο από οικονομικούς φορείς. Δηλαδή φυσικά ή νομικά πρόσωπα, τα οποία στα πλαίσια των επιχειρηματικών τους κινήσεων συμμετέχουν σε δραστηριότητες που διέπονται από την τελωνειακή νομοθεσία, όπως manufacturers, exporters, transport companies, forwarders, warehouse managers, customs brokers and importers.

AEO Consultant Services (Why use an AEO consultant)

We undertake the preparation and processing of all the necessary procedures required to obtain the AEO license. Our initial goal is to inform a company what exactly an AEO license is and how your business can benefit from this license. If you decide to get the Approved Economic Entity (AEO) license we provide you with maximum optimization during your certification processregardless of what stage you are at.

In the case that you have already applied for an AEO license and you do not know how to proceed with the phase, we can create a dedicated plan for you, to avoid any challenges and help you at every step of the process.

Even after the license has been granted, we can provide you with the appropriate advisory support for the re evaluation, which takes place every 3 years.

MCCS, as an Approved Economic Operator and AEO consultant (GR AEOC 13GR000001AEOC00031/ Customs simplifications) can provide you with the following services regarding AEO certification:

To inform you exactly what the AEO license is and how it can benefit your business.
To assess the possibility of your business becoming an AEO and to indicate to you the appropriate type of license, corresponding to your activities, as well as to close any gaps in your systems.
To implement all the necessary corrective actions and other individual actions in order to comply with the permit standard.
To prepare all the necessary documents needed for AEO certification.
To process all tax and customs data required by the AEO certification process, at the customs authorities of the General Directorate of Customs of the Attica Region.
To undertake the computerization procedures for the upcoming audit of the General Secretariat of Information Systems.
To be at your business during the inspections by the competent services of the General Directorate of Customs of the Attica Region and the General Secretariat of Information Systems.
In addition, since you have already been granted the AEO license, we provide you with the necessary guidance during its re-evaluation, which takes place every 3 years.

Provision of IT consulting services (It services)

In order to be certified as an Approved Economic Operator (AEO)your company must meet all the safety and security rules required by the European Union.

This entails the condition that all its Information Systems are fully compatible and secure in terms of these criteria, to minimize the risks and threats it may face within the framework of its activities.

As AEO Consultants we undertake the processing of all the necessary procedures for the certification of the security and protection of your information systems. (IT services)

In detail, the services are as follows: (We implement for you)

Registering the software equipment and drawing up a detailed plan of their infrastructure
Recording of access control and certification process
Map composition with per-user-resource-system access
Record backup-restore process and draft backup policy
Recording of all IT services provided by third parties (SLA Agreements)
Risk analysis (IT Risk Assessment) and planning to improve specifications-procedures of Information Systems
Drafting of a Policy for the correct use of information systems and implementation of the appropriate security plan that suits your business
Drawing up a Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP)
Drafting of security incident control, recording and response procedures