Georgia companies that have been paying punitive duties for their shipments to the European Union may now receive a full refund for any funds they have paid dating back to Jan. 1, according to the International Trade Division of the University of Georgia’s Small Business Development Center.
Charles Boyanton, the division’s director, and Bob Erwin, international trade consultant, alerted GlobalAtlanta last week that a dispute between the United States and the EU has been resolved.
The duties were imposed by the EU on exporters and/or their clients in December 2003 in connection with a long-standing World Trade Organization dispute concerning U.S. Foreign Sales Corps., according to the officials.
Refund applications must be submitted to the customs authorities in the country where the duty was imposed. Each country operates under slightly different procedures, so it important to communicate with the same country where the duty was paid.
Application for refunds can be made through the various national customs authorities by going to http://europa.eu.int/comm/taxation_customs/common/links/customs/index_en.htm
For more information, call Bob Erwin at (678) 407-5385.