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Choice of Customs Office

The French Customs have over 250 offices throughout the country. A company can choose:

• Clearance upon entry into or exit from French Territory (Port, Airport, or Office at an Inland Frontier).
• Clearance at destination (at the nearest Customs Office from the Company's site).

Choice of options for completing Customs Formalities

The company is free to complete its Customs formalities itself or to assign them to a professional operator approved by French Customs Authorities (Customs Broker).

Choice of Clearance Methods

French Customs uses computerized Clearance Methods which have been adopted by many countries throughout the World. It offers freedom of choice for clearance methods. Customs clearance in France can be made through several methods :

• The Customs Computer Network (SOFI)
• The Company's own computer system, possibly networked
• Manual procedure (use of Customs entries)

Computerized clearance considerably speeds up clearance formalities and makes their administration remarkably simple.
It can be combined with clearance at destination and the use of any of the economic customs tariffs.

Choice of Customs Procedures

The Company can use a wide range of Customs methods designed to meet its specific requirements :

• Express delivery procedure for expresss parcels (a new high-speed procedure applicable to express delivery companies)
• One of the personalised procedures granted to all import or export companies for their current trade transactions.

Embassy of France in the US - June 8, 2006