Excellence Everywhere - National University of Ireland, Galway

labeling mattersA case in point: In Thailand, items labeled “plastic goods” can have an import tax of 40%, whereasplastic laboratory ware labeled “laboratory equipment” has a tax of 10%. So knowledge of this particularpiece of information could save a substantial sum of money. A good agent from a Thai forwardingcompany who is familiar with movement of scientific materials will be familiar with import taxes andwith proper labeling, and communicate such information to the original company if necessary. Suchan agent does not want a 40% tax if 10% is possible instead, because of the increased cost that willbe passed on to the scientist. As another example, anecdotal evidence suggests that in some regionsof the world, products labeled “research reagents” will be cleared through customs relatively easily,whereas those labeled “medical products” will not be cleared; the reverse is reported to be true inother regions of the world. Again, a good agent should be aware of these subtleties.import permits and/or licenses, a shipper’s exportdeclarations, a commercial invoice, a certificate oforigin, a bill of lading, an insurance certificate, anexport packing list, a consular invoice, an airwaybill, and inspection certificates.Important Issuesand Practical AdviceExpert AssistanceBecause of the complexities of international shipping,one of the most important pieces of advice isto identify experts who can handle the associatedissues for you. There are many advantages toworking with a trusted local distributor of reagentsand equipment (who represents one or morewell-known life sciences companies), a freightforwarder, and/or a customs broker.A forwarder is an agent who facilitates internationalshipments. These agents are familiar with bothimport and export regulations, as well as withpacking, labeling, insurance, documentation, andshipping options and requirements. A customsbroker will undertake transactions associated withcustoms on your behalf, such as classification andvaluation of products and payment of taxes andduties. Such individuals should also have familiaritywith local customs and a track record of experiencein the country or region.You might wonder if hiring a knowledgeablecustoms broker, for instance, is worth the cost.Customs regulations are extremely complex—they vary from country to country, and can beinfluenced by changing politics. Because the rulesare so complicated and often unclear, identifyingand appointing a local agent to handle tasks suchas clearing equipment or goods through customscan be far less expensive than attempting tomanage the task yourself. Because the particularrules change frequently, and are often flexibleor ambiguous, it is not generally possible forscientists to be aware of what rules are in placeat a given time. For example, proper labeling iscritically important for cost-effective and timelypassage through customs. Improper labeling,even if accurate, can have severe or expensiveconsequences.In addition, in some circumstances, the scientisthas to take some time to train a local agent inhandling research material. Although thisappears to be outside your role, in the long runit is time well invested. Otherwise, you will endup wasting much more time in sorting out allkinds of issues whenever you have to ship orreceive research materials.”Abdoulaye Djimdé, Mali170 excellence everywhere