A Taxing Issue for Canada
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As in-person events and international travel are slowly resuming, the pre-COVID opportunities for Canadian businesses to showcase their products around the world are starting to regain momentum. The benefits of international trade shows don’t just apply to exhibitors and attendees, but also facilitate foreign relationships and trade and help spur economic growth. Additionally, obtaining an ATA Carnet through the Canadian Chamber of Commerce streamlines all your business’s temporary importing and exporting needs.
The Canadian Chamber wants Canadian businesses to excel and flourish in international markets, and trade shows are an excellent way to achieve these goals. Having the ability to easily promote, demonstrate and display your business’s products and services is key to helping foster meaningful relationships with suppliers, customers and distributors. Trade shows are an invaluable source of key networking and educational opportunities. Specifically, international trade shows can provide your business with the ability to raise brand awareness and expand your customer base globally.
While the industry has been hit with setbacks, and in-person events have been limited due to the pandemic, there is still a demand for trade shows. A recent study from Caretta Research and Bubble Agency found that 83% of respondents prefer in-person events as their communication method to keep up with industry trends and vendor news.
This year, exhibitors are looking to make more meaningful connections with industry insiders and customers, find suppliers that can allow them to create products with sustainable materials and continue their development in business-to-business commerce.
As a Canadian business looking forward to these exciting opportunities, using an ATA Carnet to bring goods to an international trade show minimizes the potential issues of unwanted import tariffs, letting you focus on trade show preparations and exerting your influence on an international scale.
Exhibitors face enough stress with all the planning involved to attend trade shows and ensure their products are ready to be transported across international borders. Troubleshooting customs and duties at the border should not be one of them.
Perhaps you are travelling to Las Vegas for an exhibit. As you are going through customs, you declare that the reason for your visit to the United States is for business. Upon looking at the products you have brought with you, the customs officer applies a duty fee to your materials, even though you have no intention of selling them. Having an ATA Carnet is the solution to this kind of issue.
Applicable to approximately 80 countries, the ATA Carnet is often described as a passport for goods. It simplifies paperwork when crossing borders for the temporary importation and exportation of goods.
The ATA Carnet provides a flexible and seamless experience.
There is no better time to consider the ATA Carnet when travelling. When doing so, your business needs to know all the steps to filling out the forms and ensuring your goods’ movement across borders is properly documented.
How to use an ATA Carnet
Once your business receives its ATA Carnet, you will need to ensure you have the correct amount of counterfoils and vouchers for the number of trips you have planned, along with having the front cover validated by Canadian customs. The following steps are to familiarize yourself with the purpose of the coloured pages.
A more detailed walkthrough is available here.
Ultimately, the advantages of the ATA Carnet are the simplification of customs procedures for temporary importation/exportation and the avoidance of any unnecessary expenses. Your company can instead focus on exhibiting the results of your hard work.
For more information and to begin the application process, click here.