Descartes Unveils Solution for European Excise Movement and Control System

DUSSELDORF, Germany, April 20, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Logichem 2010 -- Descartes Systems Group (TSX:DSG) (Nasdaq:DSGX), a federated global logistics network, unveiled its excise movement and control solution (EMCS) created specifically to address new excise movement and control requirements being implemented by European Union (EU) governments to create a more efficient customs environment and enable pro-active risk management.

EMCS is one of the many regulations EU governments have set up as part of the Multi-Annual Strategic Plan (MASP) program to implement electronic customs in the EU. The overall objective of this new system is to prevent fraud and evasion through cross-border cooperation between EU customs agencies on information on 'excisable' product movements. It also aims to simplify procedures for operators (e.g. alcohol producers or distributors) by standardizing and harmonizing business activities and information flows between these operators and customs authorities.

For operators, EMCS creates an opportunity to optimize internal excise processes, save costs and speed up the time-to-ship. Enforcement of the new EMCS is progressing over the next several months across the EU as countries make their systems available to the trading community.

Descartes' latest offering supports the ECMS requirements and allows for simplification of procedures, paperless administration, effective use of modern IT tools and amounts to an important evolution for those who trade in alcohol, tobacco or oil products.

Our objective through our Global Trade and Compliance solutions is to help our customers be prepared ahead of time for regulations and compliance requirements to ensure the streamlined flow of their operations and minimize any disruption to their operations, said Jonathan Wasserman, Senior Vice President of Global Trade Compliance at Descartes. With the release of this latest offering to support the Excise Management Control System, not only are we implementing a comprehensive and integrated solution, but we are also providing our customers with a 360 degree view of the declaration process. This allows our customers to easily measure and adapt their processes, control costs and optimize their cash flow.

Descartes EMCS is a part of the Descartes Global Trade Compliance solutions. Descartes' Global Trade Compliance solutions offer comprehensive services to help organizations comply with global customs regulations. To accommodate customers' varying technical capabilities, Descartes offers options that range from a user-friendly Web solution that permits manual entry of data information to a tightly integrated system-to-system electronic document exchange.

Descartes' Global Trade Compliance solutions are a part of the Descartes federated Global Logistics Network (GLN). The GLN pre-connects supply chain participants, Logistics Service Providers and Customs authorities, and automates, manages and streamlines shipment processes, end-to-end, from source to consumer, with ongoing multi-mode real-time visibility. Descartes' Global Trade Compliance solutions help companies meet regulatory requirements for international shipments for both international customs agencies and security initiatives.

For more information about Descartes, its Global Trade and Customs solutions and the new Excise Movement and Control solution, visit the Descartes/Porthus booth number 16 at Logichem 2010 at the Hilton Hotel in Dusseldorf, Germany from April 20 to 22, 2010.

About Descartes

Descartes (TSX:DSG) (Nasdaq:DSGX) is making the world a better place by enabling global organizations with logistics-intensive businesses to save money by improving the productivity and performance of their operations. Underlying Descartes' offerings is the Descartes Global Logistics Network (GLN), one of the world's most extensive multi-modal business application networks. Descartes' logistics management solutions provide messaging services between logistics trading partners, shipment management services to help manage third party carriers, global customs filing and compliance services to meet regulatory requirements and private fleet management services for organizations of all sizes. Descartes' solutions and services deliver results by enabling organizations around the world to reduce administrative costs, billing cycles, fleet size, contract carrier costs, and mileage driven; improve pickup and delivery reliability; and optimize working capital through fleet visibility. Descartes' hosted, transactional and packaged solutions deliver repeatable, measurable results and fast time-to-value. Descartes customers include an estimated 1,600 ground carriers and more than 90 airlines, 30 ocean carriers, 900 freight forwarders and third-party providers of logistics services, and hundreds of manufacturers, retailers, distributors, private fleet owners and regulatory agencies. The company has more than 500 employees and is based in Waterloo, Ontario, with operations in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Copenhagen, Eindhoven, Gent, Heverlee, Antwerp, Namestovo, Pittsburgh, Ottawa, Montreal, Miami, Washington DC, Derby, London, Silver Spring, Stockholm, Suzhou, Shanghai, Tokyo, Toronto, and Zilina. For more information, visit www.descartes.com.

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This release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (forward-looking statements) that relate to Descartes' solution offering and potential benefits derived therefrom; Descartes' ability to help customers comply with emerging compliance initiatives and other matters. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, changes in the structure or deployment of compliance initiatives and the factors and assumptions discussed in the section entitled, Certain Factors That May Affect Future Results in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Ontario Securities Commission and other securities commissions across Canada. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. We do not undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.