SAD day looms
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COMMON MARKET Transport Ministers have agreed on the introduction of one single Customs document for use in inter-community trade — a move which will make life easier for international hauliers and their drivers.
Starting from January 1, 1988, the Single Administrative Document (SAD) will replace about 70 different Customs forms now used in the EEC.
Transport Mini;:ters, who have been arguing over the SAD for four years, finally came up with a sheet of paper with 48 boxes to be completed with six carbon copies — a vast improvement from the 140 items of information demanded by national administrations.
International drivers will still have to carry some extra papers relating to health and veterinary procedures and the operation of the quota system.
"We tried to build this into the SAD as well, but it did not prove practical," an EEC official said last month.
The new system is a revolutionary step for the Customs services and extensive tests will be necessary in order to avoid Many haulage and import/export firms will start using the forms on a trial basis in the second half of next year.
The EEC Commission expects the SAD will considerably reduce waiting time at frontiers, which is estimated to cost the EEC's economy millions of pounds every year.