You’ve no doubt seen or heard about CARM, an initiative from the Canada Border Services Agency which seeks to modernize and streamline the process of importing commercial goods.
The CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management (CARM) is a multi-year initiative that will modernize how the CBSA assesses imported goods and manages revenue. Once fully implemented, CARM will streamline and automate business processes and offer online self-service tools to help the importers and exporters do business in Canada.
The CARM Client Portal (CCP) is the central feature of the CARM project which, once fully functional, will become the main communications interface between the CBSA and trade chain partners. Through the portal, users will have online self-service access to manage their customs transactions, including electronic submission of corrections and adjustments, applying for classification rulings, and the accounting and payment of any applicable duties, taxes and fees on their imported goods.
Although the CCP will be the new interface for communicating with the CBSA, it will still be possible to transmit data via EDI. Furthermore, the release process in the IID and ACROSS systems will not change with the implementation of CARM.
All trade chain partners that conduct commercial business with the CBSA will be required to register their business on the CARM Client Portal. With CARM Release 1, only Farrow, importers, and authorized trade consultants will have access to the CCP in order to create their individual user accounts and link their business account(s).
There are several steps for importers to follow in order to register on the CCP and delegate access to their account(s), internally to their employees and externally to Farrow, your customs broker.
Business Number (BN) / Import-Export Number (RM):
Your CRA assigned 9-digit business number will identify your business account on the CCP, and any RM extensions registered to your BN, will identify your import-export program accounts.
CARM Release 1:
- If you do not already have an RM extension set up, contact Farrow and we will apply for an importer/exporter extension on your behalf;
- If you do not already have an importer RM extension set up, access the CCP, create your account, and apply for an importer RM extension directly through the CCP.
To help keep you educated and aware of CARM, Farrow will be issuing more information about what you need to know, and what you (our valued clients) need to do with respect to CARM in the days, weeks and months to come.
In the meantime, for more information and to stay up-to-date on CARM, visit this link on a regular basis, or contact your Client Partnering Representative.
