The principal advantages of this procedure included the fact that there is no requirement for pre-financing of import taxes, and no application of trade measures, such as presentation of certificates, or preparation to meet the conditions relating restrictions or prohibitions.
Goods stored in a customs warehouse do not become liable to the payment of import duties and taxes until the goods are cleared for free circulation. If the goods are re-exported, then there is a waiver of import duties and taxes. This also provides the economic operator with time to negotiate their sale, either on the internal market or abroad, or to arrange for the goods to be processed, manufactured, transferred to another customs procedure or otherwise disposed of in an authorized manner.
In order to maximise the commercial benefits of special procedures, an economic operator may use a customs warehouse procedure in conjunction with the inward processing relief procedure (IPR) to prevent inventory disruptions and interruption of supplies and deliveries.