Delayed Shipment by UK Border Force

Question

We are trying to export the following items to South Africa

UCS-SPR-C220-V2 UCS C220 M3 SFF 2XE5-
704558-421 HP DL380p Gen8 E5-2650v2 25SFF
652589-B21 HP 900GB 6G SAS 10K 2.5in SCE
647594-B21 HP Ethernet 1Gb 4-port 331T Ad

These items are readily available to order from South Africa (but due to delivery timescales faster to obtain from UK).

UKBF have delayed the shipment pending licensing and End-Use control checks.

Is there anywhere we can get a definitive statement as to the export licensing requirements? If not is anyone able to offer/suggest any further resource to assist us in expediting this position?

Many thanks

Answer

Hi Billy – just to confirm we are able to assist with this. If your products go from being detained to being seized you will have to register on SPIRE and get ready to apply for an export licence. I’m afraid a statement from a supplier or even confirmation from the USA that the goods don’t need a licence means nothing within the UK as our authorities have their own take on encryption and are insisting on licences for a lot more products than, as far as I can see, any other country in the world. This is getting a bit silly as I’m sure the UK will be losing busines because of this. We are trying to raise this through NGO and to ministers but in the meantime you will have to go through the process of detainment and seizure.

Answer

Dear Billy

BIS Export Control Organisation (ECO) can give you definitive guidance on export licencing requirements and the Control List Classification of your goods. ECO can also advise you on what licencing options are available to you.

Control List Classification enquires and licence applications are submitted through SPIRE (ECO’s online application system).

You can contact BIS ECO at: [email protected] or 020 7215 4594.

Further information is available at https://www.gov.uk/beginners-guide-to-export-controls.

HM Revenue & Customs
Customs International Trade & Excise
www.hmrc.gov.uk/contactus

Answer

Further to the above post, the below additional comments have been given by the Export Control Organisation:

The exporter needs to know that for goods detained at port by HMRC they will need to talk to HMRC. Contact details at HMRC should have been provided when they were notified the goods had been stopped. If the company has been told by HMRC that they need an export licence they should submit a licence application via our online processing system – SPIRE https://www.spire.bis.uk There is information how to do this on the GOV.UK website https://www.gov.uk/spire-the-basics

HM Revenue & Customs
Customs International Trade & Excise
www.hmrc.gov.uk/contactus

Export Action Plan