The term “ATA” is a combination of the initial letters of the French words “Admission Temporaire” and the English words “Temporary Admission”. ATA Carnet is an international customs document accepted by signatories to the ATA Convention and the Istanbul Convention of the WCO. ATA Carnet system allows duty-free and tax-free temporary entry of goods, whether shipped or hand-carried. This system is governed by World Customs Organization (WCO) and International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and its World Chambers Federation to encourage world trade. To download the ATA Conventionand the Istanbul Convention, click on the download option available at the right column.
Under ATA Carnet, a number of products, commercial samples and professional equipment imported for display or use at exhibition, fair and similar events, and for other short-time use in commercial operation are given temporary admission to a country without paying any duties and taxes.
If goods imported under the carnet are sold/used domestically, duties and taxes will have to be paid to the government exchequer.
When goods covered by a carnet are taken out of the country in question, the foreign entity or its local representative must produce the carnet and the goods to Customs at the exit customs point for verification and endorsement. Duties and taxes will be recovered from the carnet holder on any items that is not accounted for. For goods that are to be exported in container(s), it is a requirement that the foreign entity or its locally appointed freight forwarding agent has to apply for customs supervision of stuffing of the goods into container(s) 24 hours in advance.
Bangladesh has not yet been a Contracting Party to the "Istanbul Convention" on Temporary Admission. As such Bangladeshi business community as well as their foreign trading partners are not allowed the benefits and facilities offered by ATA Carnets.
Bangladesh Customs is in discussion with the International Chamber of Commerce of Bangladesh and Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry to decide on the guaranteeing association. Once the decision is made, the NBR is expected to introduce the ATA Carnet system in Bangladesh.
For details on the ATA Convention, the Istanbul Convention and the contracting parties to these conventions, visit the World Customs Organization website (www.wcoomd.org).