Chartered Accountants Ireland has launched a Certificate
in Customs and Trade to equip advisors and those working in business with the
information and tools needed to navigate the new customs regime that Brexit
will introduce in 2021.
Negotiations between the EU and the UK on a future
relationship will conclude as the transitional period ends on 31 December.
Regardless of whether a trade agreement is reached, customs administration will
be imposed on exporters and importers north and south and beyond these
shores.
Engagement with members by Chartered Accountants Ireland has
revealed a significant deficit in general awareness among its members and the
wider business community of the skills and knowledge required to meet the legal
and regulatory requirements of international trade, specifically trade between
Ireland and Northern Ireland/Great Britain post-Brexit. In addition, half of
businesses surveyed by the Institute reported significant concern about dealing
with customs administration in the coming months.
Commenting, Programme Lead Tony Buckley said,
“We are critically short of
expertise on the island of Ireland to manage this unprecedented change.
Long-established trading relationships will need to be renegotiated, the costs
of trade will inevitably rise, and supply chains will have to be critically
re-appraised. In practice, there are few businesses whose supply chains
will not be affected, directly or indirectly, and all will need advice from
professionals familiar with the complex new rules and procedures.”
The Certificate has been designed in line with the EU
Customs Competency Framework and successful participants will reach Proficiency
Level 2 (Trained) in the areas relevant to post-Brexit trading. This will
enable them to offer customs advice, to support applicants for customs
authorisations and permissions, and to develop plans and strategies for
businesses facing Brexit-related challenges. The Level 9 qualification is
awarded under the statutory authority of Chartered Accountants Ireland.
The initial programme commencing in October 2020 is fully subscribed and we are taking interest now for the next iteration, the dates of which will be confirmed.
The syllabus will cover:
- New challenges resulting
from Brexit
- Trading
across borders – structure and operation of international trade
- Customs
law, regulation and processes
- Fulfilling
regulatory requirements – documents, processes and permissions
- Managing
the supply chain – terms of trade, ensuring delivery, reducing risk
- Case studies of sectoral
challenges and possible solutions.
Commenting, Cróna Clohisey, Public Policy Lead, Chartered
Accountants Ireland said
“We are delighted to launch this
much needed qualification. It has been in planning for some time now, and the
process of syllabus design in partnership with stakeholders has been a
comprehensive one.
It comes at a time when
businesses right across the island of Ireland need access to expertise and
reassurance on customs and trade issues that many have never had to even
consider in their business lives to date. It is a qualification for a changing
landscape and through it, Chartered Accountants Ireland wants to empower
businesses to recover and succeed despite considerable challenge in the wider
operating environment.”
The programme will be delivered through four modules over
eight weeks, with the first iteration commencing on 7 October 2020. Each module is centred on one
day of interactive live delivery via video-conferencing (face-to-face workshops
may be added/substituted if circumstances permit). Assessment will
include multiple-choice assignments on each module and a final summative
written assignment.
For more information, see https://www.charteredaccountants.ie/professional-development/specialist-qualifications/certificate-in-customs-and-trade
To express interest in the next upcoming iteration of the Certificate, please register your name and email address here.
ENDS