Mr.Tony Kerr advises clients on customs and international trade issues, especially relating to customs valuation under the Brussels Definition of Value (“BDV”), the World Trade Organization (“WTO”) Agreement on Customs Valuation and various national systems, tariff classification under the HS system, rules of origin under the WTO and the various preferential trade agreements. He works with clients to ensure that their systems for the import and export of goods are fully compliant with customs and other cross border agency’s requirements. He also assists clients on tax planning from an indirect tax perspective (transfer pricing). He reviews transactional and logistics flows to ensure that the client is gaining maximum benefit from the various trade agreements and in-country investment incentives. Mr. Kerr assists clients in undertaking customs and trade due diligence, an area often overlooked when a company is expanding its operations through the establishment of a joint venture or through investment in a new company. Early identification of customs and trade issues, which often do not surface until the transaction for the purchase of a business is long concluded, has provided clients with the early opportunity to discuss these issues and make more informed decisions on their acquisitions.

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• Assisted major US company achieve duty savings through the use of the CEPT scheme in ASEAN.

• Represented a large EU company in a variety of issues involving China Customs.

• Successfully negotiated the removal of a total import ban on a major EU company’s exports to China.

• Assisted a large U.S. company in significantly reducing the impact of smuggling charges against an employee in China.

• Successfully negotiated valuation decisions for major EU and U.S. companies importing in China, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines.

• Negotiated savings of millions of dollars for EU and U.S. companies trading in China. 

• Provided training to various Customs Authorities in Asia on Customs Valuation under the WTO.

• Completed reviews of importer and distribution agreements for several Singapore automotive importers to ensure customs compliance.

• Assisted a major U.S. company charged by China Customs ASB with smuggling to investigate the issues and to successfully have the offence dealt with as administrative rather than criminal as well as lessening the impact of the penalties.

• Part of a team that successfully negotiated a favorable valuation decision for a major U.S. electronics company’s exports into the Philippines.

• Was with New Zealand Customs for 22 years and gained experience in a wide field of customs work, including enforcement and related audit, tariff classification, rules of origin and determination of origin, customs valuation under the BDV and WTO systems, staff training and systems audits.

• Acknowledged both within New Zealand Customs and in the business community for his skills in customs valuation under all systems in use in the region and his advice on such matters was constantly sought by importers and importer groups within New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands.

• Was a regular trainer and speaker at programs throughout New Zealand and Pacific Rim countries on customs valuation under the WTO as well as on rules of origin and customs procedures.

• Was a member of the team tasked with assisting developing countries to implement WTO customs valuation provisions under the APEC umbrella.