Below is a quick overview of customs and shipment requirements around the world that may cause delays to the delivery of your international mail. 

SINGAPORE – 1ST DECEMBER 2011

UPDATE ON REGULATION FOR THE IMPORT OF MEDICAL DEVICES ANNOUNCED BY THE HEALTH SCIENCES AUTHORITY (HSA) 
  
Effectively 1 January 2012, all classes of medical devices (Class A, B, C and D) will have import controls through TradeNet. 

Following the implementation of TradeNet Control for the import of medical devices with risk classifications C and D (moderate and high risk) in 01 June 2011, the control will be extended to Class A and B (low and low-moderate risk) medical devices starting next year. 

To help you minimise clearance delays and obtain successful customs declaration, here is a list of mandatory information an importer is required to produce for the TradeNet® declaration:

  1. Valid importer license number 
  2. Valid device registration number obtained from the Singapore Medical 
  3. Device Register (SMDR) / Transition List number / approval number HS Code obtained from the Medical Device Branch (MDB) 
  4. Product code 
  5. Quantity to be imported 
  6. HS quantity unit of measurement

Upon producing the above information for declaration, customs approval is required from HSA. The turnaround time for a successful submission with complete and valid information via TradeNet is approximately 4 hours. 

For information on how to perform TradeNet declarations for medical devices, please refer to the Industry briefing slides available online at:http://www.hsa.gov.sg/publish/hsaportal/en/health_products_regulation/medical_devices/tradenet.html

The Medical Device Branch (MDB) is the controlling agency for the import of medical devices in Singapore through TradeNet. If you have any enquiries regarding TradeNet Control on Medical Devices, please email to HSA_MDB_Tradenet@hsa.gov.sg or contact MDB at 6866 3560.

NORWAY – 30TH NOVEMBER 2011

ALCOHOL RESTRICTIONS

Please be advised that it is prohibited to send alcohol to companies in Norway unless they have an import license.  

There is however allowed to send alcohol to a private person, as long as the receiver/buyer on the commercial invoice is a private person and his/hers social security number is stated on the invoice.

If the alcohol is a gift, it is important that not only ‘gift’ is stated on the commercial invoice but also what kind of alcohol (e.g. white wine – Chardonnay 6 x 0.75cl bottles). The receiver will be charged import and excise duties even if it is a gift.

If anyone wants to send alcohol to Norway please inform about these rules.

It is corporate policy that excise material should NEVER be routed through standard product provision. Special Services should be used for excise material because of the high risk and specific handling of goods of this nature. 

GIFTS

Please be advised that gifts to private persons and companies in Norway are subject of normal customs clearance, meaning that the receiver will be charged import duties.

The only exception is gifts from a private person to a private person when the value of the goods are below NOK 1000,- and when the receivers social security number is stated on the invoice.

The commercial invoice must reflect this in order to avoid a normal customs clearance and import duties.

It is however important that ‘gift’ is stated on the commercial invoice in addition to a more detailed description of the goods.

SAUDI ARABIA – 21ST NOVEMBER 2011

Herbs and medicines – SFDA Warns about Purchasing Drugs via the Internet

Saudi FDA warns the public from purchasing drugs, health and herbal products via the internet and not to be deceived by misleading promotions on some websites that sell drugs, health and herbal products of unknown origin and that are not registered by SFDA. Such drugs and products could be highly dangerous as their manufacturing conditions or pharmaceutical contents are unknown, besides, no quality assurance and efficacy measures exist. Moreover, the majority of such products are mixed with other falsified materials or do not contain effective material. Using such drugs and products may worsen patients’ conditions and lead to death. SFDA emphasised in a statement to the media that such websites will be tracked through its inspectors and any entity marketing such products in the Kingdom will be closely monitored. SFDA further warns anyone who participates in promotion of these suspected drugs and products via the internet or mobile phones within the Kingdom will be subject to official investigation. However, shall not release any shipment containing any drugs, health or herbal product to the Kingdom via couriers unless prior approval is obtained from SFDA according to the conditions and requirements of import and clearance of drugs and medical products provided on SFDA website. For further information about the hazards of these drugs and products please visit SFDA website at: www.sfda.gov.sa

ALBANIA – 03 NOVEMBER 2011

CUSTOMS

Please be informed that there are new custom rules regarding imports to Albania.

All shipments containing mobile phones, clothes, dental fillings, medicines and reagents, that have origin from NON-EU countries, must be accompanied by origin and quality certificate, otherwise custom clearance will not be possible.

KOREA – 03 NOVEMBER 2011

CUSTOMS

Korea customs has a plan to review import data by system from next month ( 1st December 2011 ) when international transport companies transmit the data for Import shipments before flight arrival. If origin provides incorrect data ( vague descriptions or non-english descriptions ), the data will be removed by customs system and so customs clearance will be delayed. 

Please ensure invoices have exact descriptions for customers and that all data is entered correctly into our systems so as to avoid shipments being delayed due to deleting of import data by the customs system.

MALDIVES – 28 OCTOBER 2011

CUSTOMS PENALTY

Please be informed that  Maldives customs have implemented a new law  regarding import materials. As per this law, if any unmanifested shipments (courier or cargo) are sent to Maldives, customs will impose a fine of 10,000 MVR (700 USD according to current custom’s exchange rate) on AMS Line (Associate). The origins and transit gateways (presently SIN & CMB) are requested to make sure that all consignments sent to Maldives are manifested. If this is not followed then there would be delays in clearance in addition to the fines. The fine imposed will be charged to Origin depot.

ALBANIA – 28 OCTOBER 2011

IMPORTS

Please be informed that there are some new custom rules regarding imports in Albania.

All shipments containing mobile phones, clothes, dental fillings, medicines and reagents, that have an origin of a NON-EU country, must be accompanied by origin and quality certificate, otherwise the custom clearance will not be possible.

SOUTH AFRICA – 20 OCTOBER 2011

IMPORTATION OF GIFTS TO SOUTH AFRICA

Requirements for the Importation of gifts to South Africa

All gifts imported into South Africa need to comply with the following requirements :-

  • The gifts have to be sent from a private individual abroad to a private individual in South Africa.  Any gifts sent from a company or an individual to a company would not qualify as a gift.
  • The invoice has to be Commerical only and in English, no proforma and hand-written invoices are allowed.
  • Vague invoice descriptions such as “GIFTS” are unacceptable and different commodities have to be listed separately with its respective values.

YEMEN – 13 SEPTEMBER 2011

IMPORT

Please be advised that from today, there are two important changes in handling import consignments:

1) World Economic Formum (WEF) Door to Door (S87) service is temporarily suspended. World Economic Formum (WEF) consignments should be sent only as Door to Airport (S88) service (Master Airways Bill (MAWB) addressed directly to the customer)


2) ECONOMY EXPRESS (48N) service is restricted to per piece weight below 32 Kg’s. Exceeding 32 Kg’s/piece should be send as S88 Door to Airport service (Master Airways Bill MAWB addressed directly to the customer)

AMS Line can’t help if the above mentioned is not followed by origins.

CHINA – 29TH AUGUST 2011

Post code and town names in China

As a result of changes to some post codes and town names in China, instructions were provided to update addresses stored on our local systems.

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