Union and Common Transit

Union transit

The Union transit procedure is used for customs transit operations between the EU Member States (and Andorra and San Marino) and is in general applicable to the movement of non-Union goods for which customs duties and other charges at import are at stake, and of Union goods, which, between their point of departure and point of destination in the EU, have to pass through the territory of a third country.

The rules are set out in the Union Customs Code. See the UCC information pages.

Common transit

The common transit procedure is used for the movement of goods between the EU Member States, the EFTA countries (Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland), Turkey (since 1 December 2012), the Republic of North Macedonia (since 1 July 2015), Serbia (since 1 February 2016), the United Kingdom (since 1 January 2021), and Ukraine (since 1 October 2022). The procedure is based on the Convention of 20 May 1987 on a common transit procedure. The rules are effectively identical to those of the Union transit.

Transit Manual

The Transit Manual is the most comprehensive source of information on the Union and the common transit procedure. As such, the manual is a tool to promote a better understanding of how the transit procedure works and the roles of the various participants. It is also a tool to better ensure a harmonised application of the transit provisions and an equal treatment of all operators. The manual has nine main parts as follows:

• Part I. General Introduction
• Part II. Status of Goods
• Part III. Guarantees
• Part IV: Standard transit procedure NCTS (new computerised transit system)
• Part V: Business Continuity procedure
• Part VI: Simplifications
• Part VII: Discharge of the transit operation, the enquiry procedure
• Part VIII: Debt and Recovery
• Part IX. The TIR Procedure

Annexes

The following Annexes are published in the multi-lingual form and are common to ALL language versions of the Consolidated Transit Manual.

• II.8.2.Shipping manifest – TC12 procedure and authorisation - Annex B
• III.7.1.List of guarantors authorised to issue TC32 individual guarantee vouchers
• V.6.8.3.List of central offices for the return of copies 5 of the SAD or second copies of the TAD
• VI.8.9.The list of authorities responsible for the consultation procedure in case of the ETD used as a transit declaration for goods moved by air (available soon)
• VI.8.11.The list of authorities responsible for the consultation procedure in case of the ETD used as a transit declaration for goods moved by sea (available soon)
• VII.8.1.List of competent authorities
• VIII.8.1.List of authorities responsible for recovery in the business continuity procedure
• VIII.8.4. List of the competent authorities for mutual assistance for the recovery of claims
• IX.8.1.Focal points in the Union

Amendments

Amendments have been published in the form of supplements, which will be added to the next consolidated version of the Transit Manual.

Practical information

The Transit Network Adress Book contains the addresses of national co-ordinators and approximately 400 regional and local transit liaison officers. Part of its role is to allow regular dialogue with the operators at the national and local levels, and to facilitate their contacts with the Customs services over all aspects of the operation of the transit regimes.

Transit Customs Offices Database
NCTS MRN Follow-up information
Guide Authorised Regular Shipping Service (will be updated)
Guide to Customs Procedures in Short Sea Shipping (will be updated)
Transit Movements Electronic Map of the EU and selected countries

Legislation

• The law on Customs Transit procedures in the Union is laid down in the Union Customs Code (Regulation (EU) No 952/2013), in the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2446, in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/2447 and in the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/341, as amended.
• Convention on Common Transit : The Convention of 20 May 1987 on a common transit procedure forms the basis for the movement of goods between the twenty-eight EU Member States, the four EFTA countries (Iceland , Norway , Liechtenstein and Switzerland), Turkey, the Republic of North Macedonia, Serbia, the United Kingdom and Ukraine.
  Consolidated version with a list of amendments
• Decisions of the European Court of Justice