Explanatory note

These Regulations, which come into force on 1st January 2004, further amend the Statistics of Trade (Customs and Excise) Regulations 1992 (S.I. 1992/2790) (“the 1992 Regulations”).

Since 1st January 1993 the collection of statistics relating to the trading of goods between Member States has been governed by Council Regulation (EEC) No. 3330/91 (OJ No. L316, 16.11.91, p.1). Article 28 of that Council Regulation makes provision for the application of statistical thresholds, known as assimilation thresholds. Traders whose annual value of trade with other Member States exceeds the assimilation thresholds set for trade in goods dispatched, or for goods received, are required to provide additional statistical information in the form of supplementary declarations. Thresholds are to be set annually by the Member States in accordance with Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1901/2000 (OJ No. L228, 08.09.00, p.28).

The 1992 Regulations gave effect in the United Kingdom to Council Regulation (EEC) No. 3330/91 insofar as this was necessary.

Regulation 3(1) of these Regulations amends Regulation 3(1) of the 1992 Regulations by reducing the assimilation thresholds from £233,000 to £221,000.

Regulation 3(2) of these Regulations raises the monetary limit, at or below which the exemptions conferred by Regulations 4(6) and (7) of the 1992 Regulations apply, from £13,500,000 to £14,000,000. Traders whose annual value of goods arriving from, or dispatched to other Member States does not exceed that monetary limit are not required to include particulars relating to delivery terms in their supplementary declarations.