Import Control System 2 (ICS2) is an advance cargo information system designed to improve security in the international transportation of goods and involved supply chain. All Economic Operators (EOs) that bring goods to or transiting through the EU, have to declare safety and security data to ICS2, through the Entry Summary Declaration (ENS). Based on the ENS, all goods are subject to safety and security risk analysis and better targeted controls.
ICS2 helps to better identify high-risk consignments and intervene at the most appropriate point in the supply chain, while facilitating legitimate flow of goods.
Latest News
- Air cargo information - Filing accurate and complete ENS data is key to remain ICS2 compliant
European Commission would like to remind economic operators to strictly adhere to the ICS2 filing instructions to ensure compliance to the legal requirements and avoid potential delays and penalties. To achieve this, it is essential that ENS filers provide accurate and complete data for every shipment at both master and (lowest) house levels.
- Monthly technical-operational webinars : Check Agenda in the CIRCABC Group
- 4 December 2024: Go-live date for the House level filers in the maritime and inland waterways. Read more about ICS2 maritime transportation in the relevant Factsheet (Factsheet for maritime transport).
- 1 April 2025: ICS2 Go-live date for the rail and road carriers. Read more about ICS2 rail transportation in the relevant Factsheet (Factsheet for rail transport).
How to prepare
To connect to ICS2, Economic Operators have to obtain an Economic Operators Registration and Identification (EORI) number from one of the EU Member States’ customs authorities. They also have to develop the necessary IT and business processes and successfully complete the mandatory self-conformance test.
To meet the ICS2 ENS data filing obligations, Economic Operators can decide to either develop their own IT system for this purpose or use the services of an IT Service Provider (ITSP).
ENS filings can be submitted through the Shared Trader Portal (STP). To access and connect to STP, the sender of the ENS needs to be registered in the national/central Unified User Management and Digital Signatures (UUM&DS) system. Alternatively, Economic Operators may choose to develop their own IT system and connect directly to ICS2 via Shared Trader Interface (STI). In this case, mandatory self-conformance testing must be completed before GO-LIVE.
For technical preparation related to ENS filing, please see the relevant Technical Factsheet.
All necessary documents for conformance testing and ICS2 implementation are available in the publicly available CIRCABC EU Advance Cargo Information System (ICS2) Interest group.
According to the Implementing Decision on the Union Customs Code (UCC) Work Programme (Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2879), the ICS2 go-live date has been revised, and the possibility for the Economic Operators to receive deployment windows, depending on the mode of transport, have been agreed.
For road and rail, economic operators need to start using ICS2 for ENS filing from 1 April 2025.
Economic operators who are not ready by this date are strongly encouraged to contact the National Service Desk of the EU Member State (National Customs Authority) where their EORI number is registered to request a deployment window at least one month (1 March 2025) before the go-live date scheduled for their transport mode. The deployment window is not applicable by default (without a request issued by the Economic Operator).
Further information about the procedure of granting a deployment window can be found in the “ICS2 Release 3 Go-Live procedure for Economic Operators” document published in CIRCABC.
How ICS2 works
- Economic Operators need to submit a complete Entry Summary Declaration (ENS) in the ICS2 system for all goods transported to or through the EU prior to their arrival. For air transport, a minimum set of information must also be filed prior to loading (pre-loading phase).
- A complete ENS shall contain all required data elements specific to the mode of transport or business model.
- Depending on the contractual arrangements among supply chain actors regarding ENS filing responsibilities and the availability of information, either single or multiple ENS filings may be used.
- Based on the information provided in the ENS, customs authorities perform pre-loading or pre-arrival safety and security risk analysis.
- As a result of risk analysis, risk mitigating referrals might be issued requesting the declarant to provide additional information, perform high risk cargo and mail screening or not to load the cargo. The risk mitigating referrals must be answered before the risk assessment can resume.
- Operator of a sea-going vessel or of an aircraft must lodge an arrival notification upon the arrival of the means of transport at the Customs office of first entry.
- Goods must be presented to customs upon their arrival.
- Customs may also decide to impose administrative sanctions for non-compliance with data requirements.
Details about multiple ENS filing can be found here:
Under the European Union’s pre-arrival safety and security programme, all Economic Operators have to submit detailed safety and security information about the transported goods in the Import Control System 2 (ICS2) through a complete Entry Summary Declaration (ENS). The ENS can be submitted in the format of single or multiple ENS filings.
The EU customs authorities may reject incomplete ENS declarations or issue risk mitigating referrals in the pre-loading or pre-arrival phase requesting the declarant to provide the necessary data, for example in the case data will not be accurate.
This might create delays in processing of the ENS upon the arrival of the consignments and in the entry process.
Resources
CIRCABC
All necessary documentation can be found on CIRCABC (the European Commission’s document-sharing platform): EU Advance Cargo Information System (ICS2).
- ICS2 Common Functional System Specifications
- ICS2 Known Error List (KEL)
- ICS2 Common Technical System Specifications
- ICS2 Testing
- ICS2 Common Operational Guidance
- ICS2 Go-live procedure
- ICS2 Business Continuity
- Contact details of National Service Desks
Legal texts
- Union Customs Code
- Union Customs Code Legal Package
- Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down the Union Customs Code
- Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2879 establishing the Work Programme relating to the development and deployment for the electronic systems provided for in the Union Customs Code
Privacy Statement
The Commission processes data in ICS2, in its role as a controller jointly with the Member States, through the ICS2 central component - common repository, for the purposes of monitoring and evaluating of the implementation of ICS2 processes in order to ensure harmonised and uniform implementation of common risk criteria and standards, risk analysis and control measures and priority control areas.