In this guest blog from the Chamber of Commerce, we’re focusing on the further digitalization of export documents. The closure of physical counters in recent years prompted the Chamber of Commerce to increasingly digitalize its services. Currently, 96% of all export documents are applied for digitally at the Chamber of Commerce, meaning 4% still haven’t made the switch. The Chamber of Commerce is now taking the final step towards 100% digital applications for export documents.
In recent years, the Chamber of Commerce has frequently encouraged business owners to switch from mail to digital. This was also the case last year when, in connection with COVID-19, everyone was advised to work from home as much as possible. The Chamber of Commerce has now issued an official notice that as of April 5, 2021, it will no longer be possible to request documents from the Chamber of Commerce by mail. No worries because there are digital solutions for this.
Advantages of Digitalization
As a company, you cannot apply for your export documents directly digitally with the Chamber of Commerce. This can only be done through an intermediary. We would like to name a number of advantages of digitizing this process:
- Information becomes more accessible; no more stacks of papers on your desk, but a digital administration that makes finding, for example, supporting evidence for your export document applications much easier. Moreover, you have access to this information from any location, whether at home or in the office.
- It makes data exchange easier; when you collaborate a lot with colleagues and external parties, it’s great to be able to exchange information digitally. This way, you no longer have paper files, and the chance of documents getting lost is much smaller.
- Business processes accelerate; exchanging data digitally leads to shorter turnaround times. Where it used to take us ages to apply for an export document, it’s incredibly fast these days. The necessary data is supplied digitally, read, and checked. Then, the request for legalization is sent digitally to the Chamber of Commerce, and within minutes, you receive a legalized document back.
- Fewer chances of errors; by digitizing, you can also automate more. Think, for example, of automatically transferring data from your ERP system or by using templates where standard data is automatically adopted when preparing the necessary export documents. This reduces the chance of errors since less manual work is involved.
Applying for Documents Digitally
One of these digital solutions is the webshop of Exportdocumenten.com. With their webshop, they have a digital link to the Chamber of Commerce, through which your export documents are submitted to the Chamber of Commerce for approval. If you apply for your documents before 3:00 PM, they will send them to you the same day. Compared to the postal process, you’ll receive your documents at least 2 working days faster.
The goal is to make applying for export documents as easy as possible. The knowledge of customs specialists has been incorporated into the web shops. This makes it possible for almost everyone to arrange their documents independently. Do you have a question while applying for your document? Then the Customer Service team is ready for you. You can reach them by mail or phone.
Other documents
If you want to know which additional documents you need, there are various websites you can consult. Access2Markets is a platform that provides information on documents required for export from the European Union (EU) to non-EU countries. Here, you can look up the specific requirements for your product based on its HS code and the destination country.
Do you want to apply for export documents for your company, or are you a starter in the export market and would like help and advice on starting your business abroad? Then please contact us. We will be happy to help you get started.
