ATA Carnet
How ATA carnets contributed to Winter Olympic and Paralympic success
More than 118,000 pieces of equipment, from 34 countries, valued at US$94 million were temporarily imported into China for 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics thanks to the use of ATA carnets, an international customs document that permits duty-free and tax-free temporary import of goods for up to one year.
China implemented the ATA Carnet regime in 1998 with an initial application limited to goods displayed or used at exhibitions and trade fairs. Upon the advice of the International Chamber of Commerce and its World ATA Carnet Council, China expanded the scope of Carnet application to professional equipment and commercial samples in 2019, further widening again to include sport equipment in January 2020 – enabling the ATA Carnet procedure to facilitate the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
In a letter to the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) – the ICC ATA Chain member in China – the Beijing Winter Olympic Organising Committee, commended the ATA Carnet system and the key role CCPIT had played, working with Customs to facilitate clearance for the imported goods.
“Thanks to the merit of ATA Carnet regime and the strong cooperation of guaranteeing associations and customs, the vast majority of Winter Olympic materials entered China through ATA carnets. Your dedication ensured the efficiency of customs clearance and contributed to the great success of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games and winter Paralympic Games,” the letter stated.
Efforts undertaken to enable ATA success for the games included a dedicated ATA Carnet user guide, available in Chinese and English – included in the official Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games Customs Clearance and Freight Guide, training for over 3,000 workers including Customs officials and freight operators and round-the-clock services to Carnet holders using the Green Channel for Beijing Winter Olympics Materials system.
