Customs, International Trade & Excise Services

International trade services for importers and exporters

With over 40 years of experience, BDO’s customs, international trade and excise team are trusted advisers to importers, exporters and manufacturers. We specialise in helping businesses navigate the complexities of customs duty, excise duty and international trade compliance. 

Whether you’re seeking to optimise costs, improve operational efficiency or ensure certainty across your international supply chain, our experts are here to support you.

We provide tailored solutions for excisable goods, customs duty mitigation and international trade advisory. Find out how we can help you achieve cost savings, efficiency, and certainty in your international trade operations. 

How robust is your international supply chain?

BDO's international trade team are recognised as leaders in providing expert assistance to importers, exporters and manufacturers, helping them to minimise cost, enhance efficiency, and ensure compliance in their international supply chains. 

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How BDO can help

Cost optimisation

We provide expert assistance to importers, exporters and manufacturers of excisable goods, focusing on minimising international supply chain costs. Our team advises on a wide range of customs, international trade and excise matters, including:

  • Tariff classification and customs valuation
  • Customs duty refunds and analysis using our customs duty data analytic tool
  • Application of free trade agreements
  • Excise compliance and refunds
  • Customs advisory for importers and excise services for manufacturers.

We help clients optimise their customs duty obligations and ensure compliance with Australian customs and excise regulations, delivering certainty and cost savings across their global operations.

We advise clients on various aspects of international trade costs, including customs and excise classification, refunds, remissions, internal controls reporting, and compliance.

Refunds and drawbacks

  • Review and assessment
  • Retrospective claims
  • Future claim calculations.

Valuation

  • Assess the correct customs valuation method, ensuring deductible costs are excluded
  • Prepare customs valuation rulings for related party and other complex transactions.

Customs or excise rates

  • Determine tariff classification and apply the correct customs or excise rate
  • Apply for new concessions and utilise existing ones.

Sourcing decisions

  • Analyse Free Trade Agreements and provide advice.

Efficiency enhancement

Our solutions improve efficiency across the entire international trade supply chain. We prepare and implement duty mitigation strategies and utilise our bespoke international trade data analyser tool to look for cost saving opportunities.

We offer solutions to improve efficiency across the entire international trade supply chain:

Major projects

  • Prepare Australian Industry Participation Plans
  • Prepare duty mitigation strategies
  • Execute duty mitigation strategies.

Trade automation and assessment

  • Utilise BDO’s Import Analyser to unlock potential refunds and present importer’s trade data in a commercially meaningful way.
  • Review processes and dependencies
  • Conduct cost/benefit analyses
  • Provide product advice.

Supply chain re-engineering

  • Map Free Trade Agreements within your supply chain
  • Identify gaps and explore “best case” options.

Certainty and compliance

Prioritising compliance with Australian laws, we assist with customs and excise audits, endeavour to minimise penalties for clients, and assist with voluntary disclosures to the Australian Border Force and the Australian Taxation Office. We optimise trade administration, provide advice, and obtain accreditation for businesses under the Trusted Trader Agreement.

We prepare customs valuation rulings for related party transactions and other valuation matters to provide certainty and eliminate the risk of penalties where the ruling is adhered to.

We also prepare voluntary disclosures to the Australian Border Force to ensure the correct customs values and duties have been declared and any additional payments or refunds of import GST and customs duties are processed.

We prioritise compliance with local laws, manage risks, and reduce penalties.

Compliance management

  • Assist in the management of customs and excise audits
  • Take action to minimise the likelihood of penalties.

Voluntary disclosures

  • Address transfer pricing adjustments as they relate to customs valuation compliance.

Regulatory and commercial framework review

  • Optimise trade administration
  • Provide advice and submissions to government.

Government agreements

  • Obtain accreditation for businesses under Australian Trusted Trader Agreements.

Value chain management

In conjunction with our value chain and transfer pricing specialists, our global experts assist with value chain management, customs duty optimisation, cross-border operations advice, trade facilitation, excise advisory, trade data analytics, and international trade programs.

Our international trade experts can also assist with the following:

Supply chain management

  • Identify and resolve offshore ‘sticky’ taxes
  • Optimise terms of trade and eliminate inefficiencies
  • Streamline cash flow management.

Customs duty maximisation

  • Utilise tariff concession orders, the TRADEX Scheme, and customs valuation
  • Access free trade agreements and tariff preferences.

Cross-border operations advice

  • Ensure compliance with cross-border regulations
  • Manage risk related to conducting cross-border business.

Trade facilitation

  • Customise trade processes and controls
  • Tailor solutions to your business unit or industry.

Excise and Wine Equalisation Tax advisory

  • Cover all aspects of excise and WET, including product classification, refunds, and remissions.

Trade data analytics

  • Leverage our trade analytics tool for informed decision-making.

International trade programs

  • Benefit from initiatives like the Australian Trusted Trader program.

The benefits of using BDO's tax services

Increased profitability

Increased profitability through duty savings

Value chain planning

Value chain planning to deliver whole of business solutions

Increased compliance through data

Increased compliance using data analytics

Contact us

Contact our team to discuss your needs using the request for service form.
Alternatively, call 1300 138 991 to speak with an adviser in your nearest BDO office.

Meet our team