Operator's Guide to TIR Carnets
Page 42
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B.A.O.F.R. MEETING GETS PRACTICAL TIPS INTERNATIONAL transport of goods I under cover of TIR carnets was considered in a paper given in London on Wednesday at the Autumn Conference or the British Association of Overseas Furniture Removers, The author, Mr. G. C. Ames, of Evan Cook Ltd, Peckham, London, examined the many requirements stage by stage so as to give a broad outline to members who had not previously studied the various regulations.
To undertake international transport and goods the first and obvious requirement was a vehicle or trailer, either of which could now be purchased from manufacturers especially made to comply with the TIR regulations. If, however, It was necessary to convert an existing vehicle or trailer for such use, a copy of the Customs Convention on the International Transport of Goods under cover of TIR carnets should be obtained (Misc. No. 9, 1959, price 3s., from H.M. Stationery Office). This document, Mr. Ames explained, gave all the necessary information required as to the construction of the equipment and full details of documentation, and added "Any member considering Continental operations will find the purchase and use of this document a MUST."
Requirements regarding the construction of a vehicle under these regulations was that it should be manufactured in such a manner as to prevent any goods being removed from or introduced into it without causing obvious damage or breaking the Customs seals. There must be no concealed spaces ,where goods may be bidden and provision must be made for the affixing of Customs seals simply and effectively. Regarding any empty spaces formed by the different layers of the sides, floor and roof of the vehicle, the inside surface must be firmly fixed solid and unbroken and capable of being dismantled without leaving traces. To sum up, Mr. Ames said: "If you can insert a postcard into the trailer after it is closed then it will not pass examination.Accordingly the floors must 9C tongued and grooved, or a double floor provided, the latter being the better in his experience.
Cover Transparencies Particularly applicable to furnituretype trailers, Mr. Ames added a warning regarding roof lighting. If a glass, Perspex or any other type of transparent section in the roof was included this must be completely covered on the inside with metal gauze or perforated metal screens with holes not exceeding 10 mm. and the frame must not be removable from the outside.
Having provided what an operator considered to be a TIR vehicle or• trailer, it was then necessary to complete the appropriate application form obtainable 13.8 from the Ministry of Transport and return it with the fee of £5 5s. Subsequently, if the examining officer was satisfied the operator should receive his certificate a few days later. If not, the officer would hand the operator a list of items to be attended to before he would approve it. Once obtained, the certificate was valid for two years, but throughout the period the onus was on the operator to ensure that the necessary standards were maintained at all Ernes.
Identity Pictures
Prior to examination operators should have their vehicles photographed three times—one rear, one three-quarters side and one three-quarters rear. These should be handed to the examining officer with a request for them to be franked and returned with the certificate. As photographs were not a requirement laid down by the British Ministry of Transport, Mr. Ames said that many• officers knew nothing about them. But he emphasized that in various countries within the TIR Convention, photographs were insisted upon, adding: "There is nothing worse than arriving at a border and being refused permission to continue under TIR all because you haven't three pretty pictures of your trailer."
The certificates and photographs must be kept in a plastic envelope and at all times travel with the vehicle. In the case of containers they must be in a protective frame attached to the container and the frame must be sealable by Customs.
Having acquired a TIR vehicle or trailer and wishing to start operation it was then necessary to obtain a DR carnet bearing the 1RU stamp for the International Transport of Goods by road, according to the Convention of June 16, 1959 at Geneva, and the Customs Convention of TIR of January 15, 1959.
In operating under TIR carnet two choices were open to members—to start movement from the U.K. under carnet obtained from the R.H.A. or T.R.T.A. (f I for 6 volet and £1 5s. for 14 vote° and completed by the member, or alternatively to let the movement start under carnet from the port of arrival in Europe with the Continental operator making the arrangements. This latter procedure relieved the U.K. operator from the task of• obtaining and completing this valuable document. But Mr. Ames added a warning that many countries were insisting on U.K. trailers having U.K. carnets and he felt that the procedure of leaving documentation to one's Continental opposite number would, in time, be stopped.
When obtaining carnets in this country, Mr. Ames continued, it was now necessary to first sign a document called a "Declaration of Engagement of the Carrier ". In addition to requirements as to the completion of the necessary administrative work correctly and complying with all matters appertaining to Customs, this declaration laid down the procedure with regard to the carrier's relationship with the association acting as the issuing body. The main point of this procedure was that all carnets must be returned within 10 days of use, duly cleared by the Customs authorities concerned. In the event of loss, theft or accidental destruction the issuing body must be advised at once. Should there be any refusal on the part of Customs to clear goods, or make clearance reserve, the issuing body must be informed by telegram. The carrier must undertake to bear responsibility for any sum that the issuing body may have to pay following any illegal use of the TIR carnet by a third party. He must also reimburse the issuing body with any sum that they could be called upon to pay to Customs as a result of non-observance by the carrier of the legal provision and conditions fixed at the time of issue.
Smuggling Problems Emphasizing the serious implications surrounding the TIR carnet, Mr. Ames said the consequence of errors was serious. In this country smuggling was almost unheard of, but in Europe the matter was a very serious one—as was reported in The Commercial Motor on September 11 and 18. It should therefore be realized, he said, that the facilities given to operate through the various countries were very wide and should be treated as privilege. Therefore, members about to start international operation should select their European towing agent with care and use only those that are either well known or from personal investigation have proved absolutely reliable.
Regarding documentation, Mr. Ames reminded members that within the E.C.0 standard consignment notes must be used to conform with the Convention on the Contracts for International Carriage ol Goods by Road (i.e. CMR). All hauliers on the Continent were liable under these conditions and though not at preseni ratified by the U.K. they were likely tc be in the near future. It was imperative that intending operators should study these regulations seriously, particularly as the carrier's liability for loss wa: almost £3,000 per ton, apart from liability for the duty on the goods. The cense. quential loss law was also a worryirq condition.
Finally, Mr, Ames listed the countries in which TIR carnets were valid— Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark Federal Republic of Germany, Finland France, Gt. Britain, Hungary, Italy Luxemburg, Netherlands, Norway Poland, Sweden, Switzerland. Czech° slovakia, Yugoslavia and Spain. Addi tionally, Rumania has recently signifiec intention of agreement.