Amazon Partnered Carrier programme – Cross-border shipment workflow FAQ

General frequently asked questions

How can I prepare for Amazon partnered carrier shipping between the UK and the EU?

If you use an Amazon partnered carrier, you will require the following information before you create a shipment:*

• Registered VAT numbers in the destination marketplace you plan to send inventory
• Economic Operators Registration and Identification (EORI) number for both the UK and one EU country after January 1, 2021
• Product Harmonised System (HS) classification codes
• Product customs value information (see additional guidance for the UK and for the EU)
• Country of origin information
• Import Reference number, provided by the carrier

For more information, refer to Prepare your Amazon Business for Brexit.

*These requirements are subject to change based on guidelines provided by the UK government.

Which partnered carriers will support shipments between the UK and the EU?

• Small parcels: UPS is the Amazon partnered carrier provider for small parcel shipments to and from the UK.*
• Pallets: Kuehne+Nagel is the partnered carrier for pallet shipments to and from the UK. For more information, refer to Creating a cross-border LTL shipment for the UK to the EU or Creating a cross-border LTL shipment for the EU to the UK .

*This service is temporarily suspended and we are working to restart the service soon.

Do I need to ship a minimum number of packages or pallets when I use the partnered carrier pallet (less-than-truckload) option?

For small parcels, a maximum of 200 boxes can be created per shipment. If your small parcel shipment weighs more than 200 kg or contains more than 30 parcels, you might find that the partnered carrier pallet (LTL) option is less expensive than other shipping options. For pallets, partnered carriers do not require a minimum number to be shipped. For LTL, the maximum number of pallets per shipment is 26 for the UK and 33 for the EU. For more information, refer to Amazon Partnered Carrier programme: Provide details.

Are partnered carriers able to support both direct and indirect representation at customs?

Starting January 1, 2021, shipments crossing the UK and the EU border must go through export clearance in the country of dispatch and import clearance in the country of arrival.

Customs brokers act as either of the following:

• Direct representative, meaning they act on behalf of the importer or exporter. However, the importer or exporter is solely responsible for all customs debts and liabilities arising from the customs-related transactions.
• Indirect representative, meaning they act on behalf of the importer or exporter and are jointly responsible for all customs debts and liabilities arising from the customs-related transactions.

Customs brokers must act as an indirect representative in cases when the importer or exporter is:

• Not established in the UK but conducts import and export activities in the UK, or
• Not established in the EU, but conducts import and export activities in the EU

In other cases, the customs brokers usually act as a direct representative.

For pallet shipments, Kuehne+Nagel can provide direct representation only for customs clearance. To use this Kuehne+Nagel service, you must have a legal entity in the country of destination who can act as importer of record. If you have only a VAT and EORI number in the receiving country, that is not sufficient for direct representation.

If you do not have a legal entity in both the UK and EU, you will require indirect representation. You must work with a third-party customs broker for customs clearance, who can act on delivery at place (DAP) terms in the receiving country.

Amazon will not act as importer or exporter, or as a direct or indirect representative for your shipment.

What will the shipping costs be for sending partnered carrier shipments across the UK-EU border, and how will I be charged?

The table below shows the breakdown of costs for partnered carrier shipments sent across the UK-EU border. Note that the table is intended for guidance purposes only. Your shipment may be subject to additional charges, depending on: 1) whether you use a third-party customs broker for customs clearance, and 2) the quantity, declared value, dimensions and weight of the boxes or pallets, the address where the delivery originated and the destination fulfilment centre.

Delivery type			Partnered carrier small parcel		Partnered carrier pallet
Customs representation type			Indirect and direct		Indirect		Direct
Cost type	Description		Charged by	Charged to	Charged by	Charged to	Charged by	Charged to	Charge Method
Transportation	Base cost for sending inventory from the seller warehouse to a fulfilment centre		Carrier (via Amazon payment account)	Seller	Carrier (via Amazon payment account)	Seller	Carrier (via Amazon payment account)	Seller	Seller Central shipment workflow
Duties	A charge imposed on import of goods		Customs authorities	Seller	Customs authorities	Seller	Customs authorities	Seller	Charged to the seller if deferment account is provided. Otherwise, it is charged to UPS or the broker, who provides payment and then invoices the seller directly.
Taxes (including VAT)	A charge levied on the price of a product at point of entry		Customs authorities	Seller	Customs authorities	Seller	Customs authorities	Seller	Charged to the seller if deferment account is provided. Otherwise, it is charged to UPS or the broker, who provides payment and then invoices the seller directly.
Brokerage fee	Service fee charged for clearing goods		Customs broker	Seller	Kuehne+Nagel or customs broker	Seller	Kuehne+Nagel or customs broker	Seller (the cost is covered by Amazon OR the seller)	Amazon will cover brokerage fees for sellers using partnered carrier customs brokerage services from January 1 to June 30, 2021. Sellers must pay the brokerage fee starting July 1, 2021. Sellers using third-party customs brokers will be required to pay those fees separately.
Disbursement fee	Fee charged for service to pay customs duties and taxes on behalf of the seller		Customs broker	Seller	Kuehne+Nagel or customs broker	Seller	Kuehne+Nagel or customs broker	Seller	Seller is invoiced directly by the partnered carrier or chosen customs broker.
Handover or liaison fee	Fee charged by partnered carrier to hand over customs clearance responsibilities to a third-party broker		Kuehne+Nagel	Seller (the cost is covered by Amazon)	Kuehne+Nagel	Seller (the cost is covered by Amazon)	Kuehne+Nagel	Seller (the cost is covered by Amazon)	From January 1 to June 3-, 2021, Amazon will cover any handover or liaison fee charged by carriers for liaising with third-party customs brokers for partnered carrier pallet shipments only. Sellers must pay this fee starting July 1, 2021.

What support will Amazon offer?

We are helping to reduce the cost of cross-border FBA shipments between the UK and the EU for sellers who use an Amazon partnered carrier. Through June 30, 2021, you can benefit in the following ways if you use pallet shipments:

• Transportation costs: We are offering discounted rates for cross-border partnered carrier shipments between the UK and the EU. This represents an approximate savings of between 30% to 64% for partnered carrier pallet shipments. The savings are calculated based on standard Amazon partnered carrier rates from January 1, 2020 to November 15, 2020. The actual savings depend on the shipment quantity, dimensions and weight of the boxes or pallets, the address where the delivery originated and the destination fulfilment centre.
• Brokerage and handover fees: For sellers who use the Kuehne+Nagel customs brokerage services, Amazon will cover the brokerage fees. When you ship pallets, we will also cover the handover fee if you use a third-party customs broker.

For more information, refer to Amazon Partnered Carrier post-customs border promotion: Frequently asked questions.

Is it possible to defer payment of taxes and duties incurred at customs clearance?

Import tax and customs duties for goods imported into the EU and into the UK are normally payable at the time of importation.

However, importers can defer payment by securing approval from the customs authorities of the importing country. To defer payment, you must provide security in the form of a guarantee from a bank or insurance company. The approval process and the requirements for duty and tax deferment differ by country. For UK guidance, refer to Apply for an account to defer duty payments when you import or release goods into Great Britain. For EU countries, refer to the website of the importing country’s customs authorities. See the list of customs authorities websites for the EU.

If you do not have a deferment account in place, your chosen partnered carrier or customs broker will typically pay taxes and duties for a given shipment on your behalf. They will then send you an invoice. In this case, the disbursement fee is charged by the customs broker.

I want to work with my own customs broker. Can I still use a partnered carrier to ship my goods?

You can use either a partnered carrier’s brokerage services or a nominated third-party broker for indirect customs clearance (indirect representation). However, we expect additional charges will apply for shipments that involve a third-party customs broker.

• Pallet shipments: If you require indirect representation for customs clearance, you must work with a third-party customs brokerage. Kuehne+Nagel can only provide direct representation. If you require third-party customs broker support, you must provide this information to Kuehne+Nagel in advance of the shipment pickup.

Cross-border shipment workflow frequently asked questions

Table 1. Step 1: Before creating a partnered carrier shipment

	Small parcel shipments with UPS	Pallet shipments with Kuehne+Nagel
What actions should I take before creating a partnered carrier shipment starting January 1, 2021?	New guidance will be issued when the service resumes.	Ensure all actions have been completed in the General frequently asked questions section above. Before you create your first shipment in Seller Central, contact the Kuehne+Nagel Central Customer Service team at amazon-fba.overland@kuehne-nagel.com. They will provide local contacts who will be responsible for your shipments. You must contact the Kuehne+Nagel local branch to provide the needed documentation, which may be country-specific. For UK to EU shipments, review this guide. For EU to UK shipments, review this guide. Complete the Kuehne+Nagel commercial invoice template. For guidance on completing the invoice, refer to Kuehne+Nagel commercial invoice requirements or contact a customs broker for support. Kuehne+Nagel can only support shipments of up to four pallets. If you have shipments larger than four pallets, you must create separate shipments.
What is the purpose of setting up an account with the carrier?	New guidance will be issued when the service resumes.	As of January 1, 2021, Kuehne+Nagel requires additional information from your business to support the transportation of shipments across the UK customs border, such as the VAT number. Kuehne+Nagel sets up a debtor account to store that information so that it can be used for each shipment that you send. We recommend doing this before you finalise your shipment to avoid pickup delays. This applies only to shipments in which indirect representation is not provided by a customs broker.

Table 2. Step 2: Creating a partnered carrier shipment

	Small parcel shipments with UPS	Pallet shipments with Kuehne+Nagel
How do I create a partnered carrier shipment in Seller Central?	New guidance will be issued when the service resumes.	The process for creating a Kuehne+Nagel partnered carrier shipment will be similar to the current process. For more information, refer to Creating a cross-border LTL shipment from the UK to the EU or Creating a cross-border LTL shipment from the EU to the UK. The difference for shipments sent across the UK-EU border starting January 1, 2021, is that customs clearance is required and we recommend proactively contacting the carrier to arrange final details, instead of waiting to be contacted the day before pickup. This will help reduce the risk of delay in final shipment pickup and delivery.

Table 3. Step 3: Preparing for a shipment pickup

	Small parcel shipments with UPS	Pallet shipments with Kuehne+Nagel
What actions should I take after I have confirmed my partnered carrier shipment in Seller Central?	New guidance will be issued when the service resumes.	Once you have confirmed your shipment, you will have one hour to cancel it before you are charged. This is the same as the current process. For more information, refer to Amazon Partnered Carrier programme. After confirming the shipment, you must complete the following: Share relevant documents with Kuehne + Nagel. After Kuehne+Nagel has checked your documents, you will be able to arrange a pickup time. Print the FBA and ARN box labels. These can be downloaded within the FBA shipment workflow. Note: You might want to keep a record of all customs-related documentation for your own reference.
Where can I seek advice on completing these forms?	New guidance will be issued when the service resumes.	For general guidance, refer to the customs clearance instructions for Kuehne+Nagel. For the customs clearance forms, Kuehne+Nagel can only provide completeness checks. For other enquiries or product-related guidance, refer to the UK Government guidelines or contact a third-party customs broker. Some special products, such as products that are temperature-controlled, sanitary or phytosanitary, are not part of the Kuehne+Nagel service. However, you can check with your local Kuehne+Nagel branch for additional options.

Table 4. Step 4: Shipment pickup and customs clearance

	Small parcel shipments with UPS	Pallet shipments with Kuehne+Nagel
What steps are involved in the customs clearance process?	New guidance will be issued when the service resumes.	After your shipment is picked up, Kuehne+Nagel will arrange export clearance in the country of dispatch and will deliver the shipment to the customs border of the country of arrival. Kuehne+Nagel’s brokerage services will manage the clearance of your shipment, based on whether you use direct or indirect representation services. Kuehne+Nagel or the customs broker will contact you directly should any further information be required.

Table 5. Step 5: Shipment tracking and troubleshooting

	Small parcel shipments with UPS	Pallet shipments with Kuehne+Nagel
Where can I track my shipment?	New guidance will be issued when the service resumes.	You can track your shipment on the Shipment events tab in the FBA shipment workflow. You can also track your shipment on the Kuehne+Nagel website.
I am having an issue with my shipment. Who should I contact?	New guidance will be issued when the service resumes.	For questions, raise a case with Selling Partner Support or contact Kuehne+Nagel directly at amazon-fba.overland@kuehne-nagel.com. For more information, refer to Amazon Partnered Carrier programme.