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ATA Carnets for International Motor Sport Competitions

Monday, November 1, 2021

Boomerang Carnets Makes it EASY!

With all the disruptions to International World Motor Sport competitions in the past year, races are now ramping up.  Schedules are set for motor sport races ranging from Grand Prix circuits to Ultra 4 extreme off road events.  Competitions are now on or have already taken place in the United Kingdom (U.K.), United States (U.S.), Abu Dabi, Japan, Bahrain, Australia, Mexico, Brazil, Portugal, Spain, France, and more.  Although Brexit has presented hardships to the formerly free access to the EU, using an ATA Carnet to facilitate the cross-border movement of your vehicle is the best option available. A carnet offers ease, certainty, flexibility, and cost savings - and, applying for and using one is EASY!

The ATA Carnet is an internationally accepted customs document for temporarily exported merchandise, goods, or professional equipment and allows cross border movement of goods import-duty and -tax free into any of the 87+ carnet countries and territories for up to a year.  Also known as the Merchandise Passport, ATA Carnets are used by many industries in many sectors.  The ATA Carnet offers significant savings on import-duty and -tax with built-in ease clearing Customs that can save you valuable time.  They also serve as registration with Customs upon re-entry to the U.S. or U.K. saving you additional paperwork. 

Think about it!  ATA Carnets save you time clearing customs, money on the import-duty and -tax you would ordinarily have to dole out upon each entry, saves you from managing re-importation forms, and allows for multiple trips to multiple countries for up to a year.  We know the double-whammy of Brexit and the worldwide pandemic has been frustrating and understand your concerns. We want you to know that our customer care team will assist you every step of the way.  That’s the boomerang experience!  Boomerang has been in the carnet business for nearly 35 years, and we offer the expertise you need.  We will make the process very clear and can guide you step-by-step.  With careful planning your carnet can serve your racing needs for an entire 12 months.

Eric Huyton, a boomerang carnets® UK representative, was invited to attend an Ultra 4 extreme racing event at Bovington Army Camp in Dorset, U.K. earlier this month.  Ultra 4 racing is well established in the U.S. and the U.K.  Enthusiasts from all nations design and build their own extreme 4 x 4 off road racing vehicles and participate in race meeting events held regularly throughout Europe and the U.S.  In addition to experiencing the excitement of the event, Eric was able to speak to many of the participating teams and came away with specific concerns regarding the temporary exportation of vehicles and equipment on an ATA Carnet.  The carnet’s General List is the identifier of goods being temporarily exported and is used by Customs to cross-check them during clearance. Racers voiced concerns such as how to address:

  • no ID number on a chassis
  • lost equipment/parts at destination
  • crossing borders in the E.U.
  • replacements that happen during the competition, like tires. 

If you have questions about these issues or any others, please call us and we will be happy to provide answers.

Throughout our nearly 35 years in business, Boomerang carnets’ customers have included many sporting teams and orchestral tours with similar type concerns.  We sponsor the U.S. Olympic Bobsled and Skeleton Team as well as the U.S. Boomerang Team.  We will assist you with the ATA Carnet process every step of the way so that you understand it and it is EASY for you.     

Boomerang’s Carnet Specialists offer expert customer service.  We are here to assist you 24/7, just call the Carnet HelpLine® 1-800-ATA-2900 |1-800-282-2900 or email us.  Also, if you want to ship by cargo, Boomerang has freight forwarder partners who can deliver your carnet to you, as well as handle your freight.  Boomerang also provides the Carnet de Passages en Douane (CPD) in the U.S. and Canada, a customs document for licensed road vehicles that may be needed when hauling goods across boarders by trailer.  If you are in the U.K. and need a CPD, we can refer you.

For ATA Carnet news and updates subscribe to our eNewsletter: Exportise