Joint Customs Consultative Committee (JCCC)
An HMRC-sponsored forum which was established in 1969 to exchange views on and discuss proposed changes to customs procedures and documentation relating to the entry and clearance of goods. It gives the opportunity for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to consider representations from more than 40 member organisations. This committee is the main forum for the department to consult trade on imports and exports.
Following member consultation in late 2021, it was agreed that reform of processes and practices were necessary, alongside adopting new and updated terms of reference.
Members
| Agency Sector Management (ASM) |
| Airline Operators Committee for Cargo UK (AOCC UK) |
| Association of Freight Software Supplies (AFSS) |
| Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) |
| Association of International Courier and Express Services (AICES) |
| Automated Customs and International Trade Association (ACITA) |
| British Association of Exporters (BEXA) |
| British Association of Removers (BAR) |
| British Association of Ship Suppliers (BASS) |
| British Business General Aviation Authority (BBGA) |
| British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) |
| British International Freight Association (BIFA) |
| British Ports Association (BPA) |
| British Retail Consortium (BRC) |
| Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade (CIOE&IT) |
| Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport (CILT) |
| Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) |
| Chemical Industries Association (CIA) |
| Community Systems Providers (CSPs) |
| Confederation of British Metalforming (CBM) |
| Customs Practitioners Group (CPG) |
| Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) |
| Federation of Sports and Play Associations (FSPA) |
| Food and Drink Federation (FDF) |
| Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) |
| Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW) |
| Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS) |
| Institute of Directors (IOD) |
| International Meat Trade Association (IMTA) |
| Logistics UK |
| Make UK |
| National Farmers Union (NFU) |
| Provision Trade Federation (PTF) |
| Road Haulage Association (RHA) |
| Royal Mail (RM) |
| Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) |
| Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) |
| The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) |
| UK Aerospace Industry Customs Group (UKAICG) |
| UK Chamber of Shipping (UKCoS) |
| UK Major Ports Group (UKMPG) |
| UK Warehousing Association (UKWA) |
| Wine and Spirits Trade Association (WSTA) |
Terms of reference
These terms of reference were refreshed in February 2024 and will be reviewed again in February 2026, or before this date if a need is identified by the JCCC secretariat.
The purpose of the JCCC is to:
- act as a consultative group for customs policy and process development, providing a key point for industry views to be considered by HMRC
- understand industry and regulatory impacts of any changes
- provide a forum for horizon scanning and escalation of industry issues
- review progress against agreed aims and objectives, and to suggest remedial action for objectives that are not being achieved
The JCCC will adhere to guiding principles around meetings and membership.
The JCCC also fulfils the UK’s obligation under Article 23.2 of the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement (‘the TFA’), to set up and maintain a national committee to coordinate parties with an interest in expediting and simplifying the movement of goods.
This remit includes, but is not limited to, relevant areas of trade policy, customs and border procedures, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, transport and logistics, and related services.
Meeting regularity and secretariat
1.The JCCC main group will meet:
- monthly, to be held virtually
- with review meetings at six-monthly intervals: these will be a mixture of virtual and face-to face. The review meeting key messages will be published on GOV.UK
- in addition, ad hoc meetings will be arranged where necessary in response to key developments and sharing of Statutory Instrument (SI) changes
2.HMRC will provide the JCCC Secretariat and share outputs from meetings and other updates with members.
3.The meetings will be chaired by the Director Customs for the six-monthly review meetings and a Deputy Director Customs or Deputy for other meetings.
4.JCCC sub-groups and task and finish groups may be used to address detailed topics. These will be chaired by the appropriate HMRC senior manager or a nominated deputy and report to the main group, specifically at the six-month review meeting points.
Membership criteria and responsibilities
1.For us to consult as widely and democratically as possible, industry members should:
- be a national UK organisation with a significant interest in the international movement of goods
- not represent any particular (air)ports
- represent the views of their members
- not represent individual company or commercial business interests
- not represent any particular Freeports/Green Freeports (Scotland)
2.The representatives must have a process in place to obtain and disseminate JCCC information to and from their members.
3.Members that do not attend any meetings in each six-month period between review meetings will contacted by the secretariat to confirm future attendance, resignation, or an alternative attendee from that organisation.
4.Any JCCC member may request agenda items, to be agreed by the Industry and HMRC chairs.
5.Changes to the membership of the JCCC will be agreed by the HMRC and industry chairs. Membership will be reviewed every 2 years and is published on GOV.UK.
6.The JCCC industry members will agree an industry chair, who will work closely with the HMRC chair to ensure agenda items represent industry issues. Industries may choose to elect their chair on a rotating basis.
Six-monthly review: key messages
The latest review meeting was held on 24 October 2023:
The next review meeting is due in April 2025, with key messages available shortly after.
Earlier six-monthly reviews:
Archived content
HMRC no longer publishes JCCC content relating to:
- JCCC consultation papers
- JCCC yearly reviews
- sub-groups and working groups
- terms of reference for JCCC sub-groups
- JCCC sub-group minutes
- JCCC newsletters
The following sub-groups and working groups have been discontinued:
- Customs Brexit Group
- Customs Future Vision Sub-group
- International Trade Operating Systems Working Group
- Modernising Freight Management Sub-group
You can read previous years’ minutes from these working groups and sub-groups on The National Archives website; you can also read previous JCCC minutes and terms of reference.
Any further JCCC sub-group activity will be discussed at main JCCC meetings and recorded in the key messages of those meetings, shared with members.