Kewill plc, a vendor of software and systems for global trade and logistics, has gone live with the Import Control System (ICS) in Spain and Luxembourg. The company is now exchanging real-time data on behalf of its customers with local customs authorities in those two additional countries. Kewill had earlier announced ICS connectivity for the U.K., Germany, Austria, Poland, France and the Czech Republic. ICS, a mandatory electronic customs procedure to improve the security and visibility of shipments entering Europe, was introduced at the beginning of this year. According to Kewill, the system has proved challenging to implement, with each country issuing separate specifications around the format and data-exchange process. Kewill said it is working quickly toward achieving connectivity for all remaining European countries, by relying on the domain experience and network of local partners. The vendor draws on a suite of software applications for customs compliance, including Kewill CustomsXchange, Zabis and Air Cargo Pool. Through pan-European ICS connectivity, Kewill hopes significantly to reduce the burden of managing the complex ICS process for customers.
