Carnet ATA
An international customs document that permits the temporary import of goods into a country without paying duty or VAT, on the condition that the goods are re-exported within a defined period. Used by watch dealers attending trade shows and exhibitions in non-EU territories.
A Carnet ATA (Admission Temporaire / Temporary Admission) is an international customs document, issued under a UN-administered convention, that permits the temporary import of goods into a country without paying duty or VAT. The condition is that the goods are re-exported within a defined period (typically 12 months) in the same condition they entered.
For watch dealers, the Carnet ATA matters when participating in trade shows, exhibitions, or boutique events in non-EU territories — particularly Switzerland (Geneva), the United States, Hong Kong, and the GCC states.
How a Carnet ATA works
The dealer obtains the Carnet from their chamber of commerce (in Germany, Industrie- und Handelskammer) before the trip. The document lists each watch by reference and serial number with declared value. At each border:
- Outbound from Germany. Customs stamps the Carnet to confirm the goods left the EU.
- Inbound to destination country. Customs stamps the Carnet to confirm temporary import — no duty or import VAT is charged.
- Outbound from destination country. Customs stamps confirmation of re-export.
- Return to Germany. German customs stamps confirmation that the goods returned (often within the same calendar year).
If the Carnet is fully stamped at every step, no duty or VAT is owed and the dealer's collateral is released.
When dealers use a Carnet ATA
- Trade shows. Geneva Watch Days, Dubai Watch Week, US-based watch fairs, Christie's previews in non-EU cities.
- Boutique events. Travelling exhibitions where a dealer presents inventory to clients in a non-EU country.
- Authentication appointments. Bringing a vintage watch to a Geneva-based expert for inspection (where mailing is too high-risk).
- Client home visits in non-EU countries with a portfolio of watches.
For a German dealer flying to Geneva with €500,000 of watches in a hand-carry, a Carnet ATA is the legal way to enter Switzerland with the goods without paying Swiss import VAT (8.1 percent) or triggering Swiss commercial customs.
Cost and effort
- IHK fee for issuing a Carnet: roughly €150 to €400 depending on number of items and value.
- Collateral required by the IHK: typically a cash deposit or bank guarantee covering 40 to 50 percent of declared value, held until the Carnet returns fully stamped.
- Application time: 1 to 3 working days at most IHKs.
- Validity: 12 months. Multiple trips to multiple countries can be made on the same Carnet within the year.
Risks
- Missing or unclear stamps. A border officer who waved the dealer through without stamping creates a defective Carnet. The collateral is forfeited unless the dealer can supply alternative proof of re-export.
- Lost Carnet. The IHK can issue a replacement but only with original-stamp documentation already on file. A truly lost Carnet typically means lost collateral plus retroactive duty assessment in the visited country.
- Watches sold during the trip. A watch sold abroad cannot return on the Carnet. It must be cleared as a permanent export with separate paperwork, sometimes including local sales tax registration.
Alternative: pay-and-reclaim
For lower-value trips (under €50,000), some dealers skip the Carnet and instead pay import VAT at the border, reclaiming on return through the destination country's tourist-VAT scheme or the EU's import-recovery mechanism. The break-even point is roughly €100,000 declared value, above which a Carnet is significantly cheaper.
Related: customs, drittland, ausfuhrlieferung, eori-number.