Digital logistics
New digital‘ international passport for goods’ requirements: What organisers need to know
Rob Mulligan, UK customs manager, The Rhenus Group, explains how exhibition organisers can navigate the changing legislation affecting industries that move goods temporarily across borders.
major international
A customs documentation change is affecting temporary cross-border movements for UK exhibition organisers. As a change, it brings long-term benefits in terms of reduced paperwork, streamlined processing and improved efficiency, when it comes to the temporary moving of goods. But like any procedural change, it has a learning curve.
International events organisers will be familiar with the ATA Carnet, the international customs document used when transporting equipment and merchandise overseas for trade shows and exhibitions. The document gives businesses the right to move items such as exhibition stands, display items and commercial samples to over 80 countries accepting ATA Carnets dutyfree and tax-free, as long as the items return to the UK within one year.
Rob Mulligan
In essence, the ATA Carnet works as a passport for goods, removing the need for a customs declaration, and replacing the customs documents that would normally be needed for moving goods through exporting and importing countries, and hopefully, both simplifying and accelerating the export process. To use it, you must be intending to bring goods back to the UK.
14 Issue 5 2026 www. exhibitionworld. co. uk