What are the advantages of choosing an AEO freight forwarder?
For those involved in foreign trade, safety is a priority. Regardless of the area in which they operate, all companies that import or export are always looking for reliable and solid partners to take care of their logistics operations.
In the past, choosing for a service provider was based on trust, recommendation, or experience, which could limit the foreign trade professional in his choice.
With the AEO certification arriving in Brazil this scenario has changed, as certified companies are verified by the Federal Revenue and undergo rigorous data verification criteria.
What is OAS?
Authorized Economic Operator, or AEO, is an international modality of certification that was adopted by the Brazilian Federal Revenue. The certified company goes through a rigorous process that verifies its ability to maintain cargo security and compliance with tax and customs aspects.
Who can be AEO
Cargo agents, transporters, importers, exporters, depositories of goods under customs control in bonded warehouses, depositories in Special Places for Clearance Exportation Dispatch (known as REDEX in Brazil), port operators and airport operators can apply for AEO certification.
Customs brokers are not entitled to be certified as AEO because of the Federal Revenue Normative Instruction no. 1834/18, which resulted from many lawsuits filed by brokers who alleged restriction of the profession exercise because of the benefits that the program would generate to some professionals.
What are the modalities?
The current modalities available for AEO are AEO Security, AEO Compliance and AEO Full, and the Compliance one is divided into two levels, according to art. 6 of Federal Revenue Normative Instruction no. 1985/20.
AEO Safety (AEO-S)
It is the modality that uses as a basis the security criteria of the logistics chain applied in the flow of foreign trade operations.
AEO Compliance (AEO-C)
It is based on compliance with tax and customs obligations criteria, and depending on the level of criteria required, AEO-C Level 1 and AEO-C Level 2 may still be granted.
AEO Full (AEO-F)
It is the highest certification stage, which includes companies that are approved in the AEO Safety and AEO Compliance Level 2 modalities simultaneously.
What are the advantages of choosing a freight forwarder with AEO certification?
Companies certified as Authorized Economic Operators are granted with a virtual verification seal on SISCOMEX website, which makes the release of their loads faster, the logistics simpler, in addition to having a direct channel of contact with the Federal Revenue that allows to clarify doubts in specific cases of obstacles in the process.
AEO importers can also start the process of releasing cargo in advance during international transport (custom clearance over water and over air) for loads with Import License granted at the time the Import Declaration is registered (provided they do not require inspection physics).
Conclusion
AEO certified freight forwarders are prepared to streamline the process according to program benefits and help importers and exporters save on warehousing costs, so consider putting AEO certification as a primary criterion when choosing your partner.