Custom Declaration Service (CDS) registration made impossible by HMRC

[Jan Schwarz]

Hi,
I'm trying to register for CDS with HMRC, but because I had a different EORI number prior to registering for VAT (which gave me a a new EORI number) it is now impossible to register for CDS (the old EORI is still linked to my tax account).

I'm trying to get this fixed by HMRC for over 6 months now, but they aren't able to and now started to just ignore any enquiry about this topic.

Has anyone here had similar issues and managed to get them solved and if so, how?

When CHIEF will be deactivated in a few weeks I'll have enormous isdues/cost importing goods without access to CDS.

 

[Wallace123]

Jan, you are not alone, unfortunately. We are in exactly the same position. Original EORI is not VAT related. We became VAT registered in July this year and therefore had a new EORI linked to our VAT. Old EORI is linked to CDS and it seems impossible to unlink/unregister/de-enrol. I have now spent in excess of 40 hours trying to resolve this - Have emailed CDS team, EORI email, spoken with business VAT, gateway management, tech support and goodness knows who else, and I am nowhere forward.

Why would anyone release an IT system, without thorough testing, leaving us business owners pulling our hair out.

Daily calls to the HMRC imports and general advise, plus trying to get through to the EORI team who are so busy, and a 'Thank you for calling, good bye' is played are just ridiculous.

This really should be in the press, someone must know how to address this.

 

[Jan Schwarz]

I added my local MP to my latest "correspondence" with cds.operations... Maybe someone shows any interest in it.

I'm now getting bombarded by emails from DHL, FedEx, etc that I have to enrol for CDS to continue being able to do postponed VAT accounting.

Is HMRC paying compensation for the losses I'm making if I have to pay fees to the parcel services again for dealing with VAT?

 

[Wallace123]

I've done exactly the same - contacted my MP on Tuesday just gone who has contacted HMRC and I am awaiting to hear back.

I did receive the email below from cds.operations, but my main comms have been with the EORI dept, and with the main phone number for general help. I have followed the actions suggested below, more than once, only for the submission to lead to the tech team, who then state this is not a tech issue, its a EORI cancellation request issue.


[email protected]
12:55 PM (4 hours ago)
to me

Good afternoon



Please note, the mailbox that you have contacted is for support to customers using the Customs Declaration Service (CDS) who are encountering issues when attempting to submit the declaration onto the live system or have technical queries in relation to inputting a Customs Declaration.



You will need to request that the EORI is de-enrolled by using the ‘is this page not working properly’ hyperlink. To get to this page you will need to try to re-register for CDS Registration.





An example of this is below





Once you have received confirmation that this has been done, you should then be able to re-register for CDS.



Kind regards

 

[Wallace123]

There is also this forum which HMRC do comment on - I may opt for this next week - it doesnt solve the issue, and hopefully wont create further issues with the courier companies working with CDS, and the import team working with CHIEF...


There is a forum on HMRC with others experiencing the same, unfortunately links are not allowed on this forum

community.hmrc.gov.uk

 

[Jan Schwarz]

Hi,
YES, I got the same advice. De-enrol my old EORI. Which I did, it has been confirmed it is de-enrolled BUT CDS registration is still not possible. An advisor at the VAT Hotline discovered a third EORI linked to my account but isn't allowed to tell me what it is. So the EORI team can't check it.

The whole organisation HMRC is just a joke.

 

[Wallace123]

How did you de-enrol your old EORI - its not linked to my VAT account as I wasnt vat registered. And its certainly not on the govt gateway - I thought the only option was the online form and/or calling EORI?
Thank you btw

 

[Jan Schwarz]

I did it through the EORI team. asked them to de-enrol call non VAT linked EORIs assigned to my company which they did. But it unfortunately didn't fix the CDS issue (I assume the software has a bug which links one EORI fix to your tax account and it doesn't change if you change/deactivate an EORI. and I assume they haven't found a way yet to fix that issue (or better their outsourced IT provider is wating for another few millions from the government to fix the bug they produced in the first place).

 

[Wallace123]

Thank you. I submitted the requested to cancel 8 weeks ago, and was hoping that by them cancelling, I could subscribe, but it appears through your experience that the end is not in sight....

 

[Wallace123]

I've succumbed and asked for an extension, granted immediately for 1 month with a consideration being given for longer. Cant paste links here, but here's the text for the hmrc page:
Guidance

Ask to continue to use Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF) from 1 October 2022​

 

[Jan Schwarz]

Hi,
Today I received the confirmation in writing by HMRC that it is caused by a software issue which won't be fixed in the foreseeable future. They allow anyone affected to continue to use CHIEF. Which doesn't help me much as FedEx, UPS, DHL, etc switched to CDS and don't accept postponed VAT accounting and deferment accounts via CHIEF anymore.

HMRC letter

 

[Wallace123]

Thank you for sharing. Beggars belief - there are numerous concerns re CDS with so many people, including freight forwarders - concerning times ahead for sure

 

[Jan Schwarz]

Hi,
If you believe it or not, I managed today to register for CDS. After intervention of my local MP, HMRC was suddenly able to delete my previous EORIs and registration is working fine.

 

[RashmiGupta]

Hi,

We are a small IT firm that provides CDS software solutions for import and export customs declarations. Our software is simple and easy to use. We are HMRC's approved CDS software provider. We have many happy agents and traders who are using our software, and they say that it has helped them immensely to save time and increase their productivity. If you are looking for a CDS solution, please feel free to book a demo session with us. We can be reached at [email protected].

Rashmi Gupta