A new customs tool: France SESAME
Customs procedures and related administrative steps are not always easy. The different customs controls and processes when certain goods cross borders can be a real administrative headache. Fortunately, some actors provide tools to facilitate all this.
Focus on France SESAME: the new tool available to supply chain actors.
A joint initiative of several entities
France SESAME is the result of an initiative between French Customs, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Repression des Fraudes and the Ministry of Ecology. This platform went online on November 17 in the ports of Le Havre, Dunkirk and Marseille.
The creation of a single digital contact point at the borders was one of the main measures in the government’s plan to improve the competitiveness of the French logistics chain. The platform will be the reference tool at the main ports for managing sanitary, phytosanitary and veterinary controls, as well as marketing compliance controls and controls on EU organic farming criteria.
The features
Logisticians, freight forwarders, registered customs representatives and other importers will have access to multiple services such as real-time tracking that allows them to view the status of the formalities and administrative controls related to the passage of their goods. They will also be able to make appointments. This service allows users to schedule the completion of controls of the rules of conformity of fruits and vegetables or the criteria of the EU on organic farming. Users will be able to view and download their digital import file, which includes the administrative formalities related to the border crossing of goods. Not only that, but a notification service (by SMS, email, or via the platform) on border crossing formalities will be available, allowing users to proactively take the necessary steps and actions.
