What are the Origins of the ATA Carnet System?

In December 1961, to encourage world trade, the Customs Co-Operation Council now known as the World Customs Organization (WCO) adopted , the "Customs Convention on the ATA Carnet for the Temporary Admission of Goods." The purpose was to reduce the obstacles caused by varying national customs regulations. The initials "ATA" are an acronym of the French and English words "Admission Temporaire/Temporary Admission."

Carnets are issued and guaranteed by national groups, which administer the ATA system under a set of conditions established by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) World Chambers Federation (WCF).

The U.S. Council for International Business was appointed by the Treasury Department in 1968 to manage the ATA Carnet system in the United States. Typically, the U.S. Council issues over 10,000 Carnets a year covering goods valued at over one billion dollars.