Release of goods
Act by which customs authorise the removal of goods after declaration acceptance and payment or guarantee of duties.
Release of goods is the act by which customs authorities authorise the declarant or importer to remove goods from customs control and dispose of them freely. It occurs after the customs declaration has been accepted, verified, and duties and taxes have been paid or guaranteed.
Release time is a key indicator of trade facilitation. The World Customs Organization and WTO (through the Trade Facilitation Agreement) encourage customs administrations to minimise this time. The UCC sets the objective of immediate release upon declaration acceptance, unless a check is necessary.
In practice, release depends on the assigned clearance channel: green channel (automatic release), orange channel (prior documentary check), or red channel (physical inspection). AEO operators statistically benefit from shorter release times.
Release may be subject to conditions or reservations, for example pending laboratory analysis results or licence verification. In such cases, goods may be removed but remain subject to residual obligations.