Customs and Excise Management Act 1979

80 Power to require information or production of documents where origin of goods exported is evidenced under Community law or practice

(1) Where on the exportation of any goods from the United Kingdom there has been furnished for the purpose of any Community requirement or practice any certificate or other evidence as to the origin of those goods, or as to payments made or relief from duty allowed in any country or territory, then, for the purpose of verifying or investigating that certificate or evidence. The Commissioners or an officer may require the exporter, or any other person appearing to the Commissioners or officer to have been concerned in any way with the foods, or with any goods from which, directly or indirectly, they have been produced or manufactured, or to have been concerned with the obtaining or furnishing of the certificate or evidence,—

(a) to furnish such information, in such form and within such time, as the Commissioners or officer may specify in the requirement; or

(b) to produce for inspection, and to allow the taking of copies or extracts from, such invoices, bills of lading, books or documents as may be so specified.

(2) Any person who, without reasonable cause, fails to comply with a requirement imposed on him under subsection (1) above shall be liable on summary conviction to a penalty of £50.