Customs, Import and Export
Our firm provides our clients with comprehensive legal consulting in the field of customs and commercial import, including issues pertaining to customs laws, taxation, customs offenses as well as criminal and administrative exposures, representation before the Customs authorities, import and export regulation, maritime and international shipping law.
Import Customs
Customs is an indirect import tax imposed upon the import of goods to Israel. It is designed to protect and regulate the demand for local production. An importer wishing to import goods to Israel in commercial quantities is obliged to contend with a myriad of complex legalities related to the import and release of goods to Israel. The level of customs can vary between different countries, at times even for identical goods.
The field is saturated with regulations originating from mandatory legislation that awards the state extensive authority over importers. A certain amount of balance has been achieved to mitigate the power of the state through legislation of the Freedom of Occupation Act and signing on international trade treaties. However, it is a cumbersome arrangement of regulations and orders designed to regulate the legality of import and outline the path in which the importer has to follow, and the conditions to be met by the in order to import the goods.
The customs field is dynamic and has undergone extensive changes over recent years. Anyone wishing to import goods must be well versed in a wide range of additional directives and orders, legislative amendments and strict regulation. Despite the extensive complexity of the process, there are ways to reduce the customs levels required for payment.
Our firm’s customs lawyers accompany and represent importers, exporters, companies, customs agents and freight forwarders in the various legal aspects related to their fields of activity. We handle all aspects associated with import taxes, including trade levies, purchase tax and excise tax.
Import and Export Customs
Our firm specializes in the regulatory aspects related to import and export processes, including obtaining import approvals and licenses, compliance with standards, etc. We assist those engaged in foreign trade who face legal difficulties with government ministries, or those wishing to present their position before the various Knesset (Parliament) committee.
In the field of trade levies, the firm represents Israeli manufacturers wishing to protect their products from unfair scales of imports and prices through anti-dumping levy measures, as well as importers who have to contend with the threat of imposing unjustified anti-dumping levies.
In addition, the firm accompanies and represents companies who engage in foreign trade on matters relating to maritime law and international shipping.
Customs offenses
Our firm specializes in the field of customs offenses and handles a wide range of offenses, from light to extremely complex, including smuggling offenses, filing false customs entry documents (altering import and export pricing), attempts to evade purchase tax payments, etc. We specialize in providing professional assistance and handling various criminal scenarios, and accompany the client throughout the proceeding, from arrest and interrogation to the phase of the submission of indictments.
Customs Lawyers
Our firm has customs lawyers, with previous experience working for the Tax authorities, and are experts in the fields of objections and appeals on customs charges and deficits, declarative claims on the matter of goods classification as well as criminal experience in handling customs and import offenses such as false customs entry documents, lowering import prices, smuggling, etc. Within this framework, we also handle the following issues:
Classification of goods for customs purposes - our firm assists in handling cases where various disputes arise with the Tax authorities concerning the classification of goods for customs purposes. We represent the client before the Tax authorities aiming to reach a speedy agreement, while retaining the importer’s rights and also assisting in monetary and/or declarative relief claims.
Source rules for import and export - our firm specializes in assisting many and varied importers in difficulties with the Customs authorities due to the authorities’ non-recognition of origin certificates and/or EUR1. In addition, we assist local manufacturers in thoroughly examining whether their products comply with the conditions required by the various trade agreements in order to be listed as Israeli goods.
Restitution and deficit annulment claims - in certain scenarios where an importer discovers that surplus tax has been unintentionally paid to the authorities, we accompany the client in the restitution claim proceeding with the authorities. Our firm also specializes in the opposite scenario, where an importer is required to pay hindsight deficits based on previous imports, and we will act as with the objective of cancelling these deficits.
Representation of customs agents - our firm represents customs agents and assist them in handling deficiencies issued by the Customs.
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