SPE13450 - Production accessories: accounting procedures
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-24)


This manual will be archived on 15 December 2025. For up-to-date guidance on special procedures, please refer to Pay less or no duty on goods you store, repair, process or temporarily use (GOV.UK) (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/pay-less-or-no-duty-on-goods-you-store-repair-process-or-temporarily-use) and Customs Technical Handbooks (GOV.UK) (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/customs-technical-handbooks). If you have feedback about this manual being archived, email xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx).

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The following table only concerns duty liability on catalysts used in processing. For duty liability on any goods that are entered to IP for processing please see SPE13225 (https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/customs-special-procedures/spe13225) of this guidance.

Any residue from the catalyst that results from its use in processing should be treated as a Secondary Processed Product (SPP) (see SPE13455 (https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/customs-special-procedures/spe13455)).

During the processing operation

Relief/charges due on the catalyst

The catalyst is entirely used up and all products produced (main and secondary processed products) are exported from the UK

Full duty relief is available on all of the catalyst

The catalyst is entirely used up but only a percentage of the products produced are exported from the UK.

Duty relief is available on the amount of catalyst used to produce the quantity of processed products that are exported.

Duty will be due on the amount of catalyst used to produce the quantity of processed products on which any customs debt is due/processed free circulation goods not exported.

The catalyst is only partly used up in the processing operation and only a percentage of the main processed product are exported from the UK

Duty will be due on any catalyst used to produce the quantity of processed products on which any customs debt is due/processed free circulation goods not exported.

If the used catalyst is left over refer to SPE13455 (https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/customs-special-procedures/spe13455) below.

The catalyst can be re-used

Duty will be due on any catalyst used to produce the quantity of processed products on which any customs debt becomes due/processed free circulation goods not exported.

Duty will also be due on the proportion of catalyst used to produce the processed product(s) that were exported, unless that proportion of catalyst:
- is also re-exported
- destroyed under customs supervision, or
- an extension of the throughput period for the catalyst can be approved.
Where the catalyst will be released to free circulation, duty due should take into account the proportional 'economic' value of the catalyst (see SPE13460 (https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/customs-special-procedures/spe13460)).

Note - Northern Ireland (NI) Customs Authorisations will continue to fall within the provisions of the Union Customs Code (UCC), as retained by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 and CEMA 1979