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Taxation and Customs Union

Import Control System 2 - Release 1

ICS2 Release1

Who?

Express carriers and European based postal operators and Third-country postal operators shipping to Europe.

When?

The first release becomes effective on 15 March 2021.

How?

Pre-Loading Advance Cargo Information (PLACI) using the minimum ENS dataset.

More precisely:
Express carriers and designated postal operators established in the European Union (destination posts) will be required by the Union Customs Code to provide the minimum set of advance electronic data, in the format of the electronic Entry Summary Declaration (ENS) to the ICS2, for all goods in consignments they are responsible for bringing into the EU customs territory.

The electronic Entry Summary Declaration (ENS) will be mandatory for all express and postal consignments destined to enter the Union customs territory.

Why?

ICS2 aims to provide an extra security layer to the existing civil aviation security requirements. Pre-loading advance cargo information – PLACI, as a subset of the ENS will be used by the EU customs authorities to perform air cargo and mail security risk assessments. The scope of these assessments is to detect immediate threats to aviation security i.e. bringing on board an aircraft articles that could lead to the destruction of the plane and/or loss of lives – improvised explosive (IED) or incendiary device (IID) a.k.a. ‘bomb in the box’.

EU guidance on air cargo security referral protocols for ICS2

8 APRIL 2021
EU guidance on air cargo security referral protocols for ICS2
English
(1.38 MB - PDF)
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8 APRIL 2021
EU guidance on air cargo security referral protocols for ICS2 - ARABIC
English
(2.41 MB - PDF)
Download
8 APRIL 2021
EU guidance on air cargo security referral protocols for ICS2 - CHINESE
English
(1.47 MB - PDF)
Download
8 APRIL 2021
EU guidance on air cargo security referral protocols for ICS2 - RUSSIAN
English
(1.38 MB - PDF)
Download

Unacceptable goods descriptions guidance

8 APRIL 2021
Guidance on the acceptable and non-acceptable terms for the description of goods
English
(617.16 KB - PDF)
Download

Additional ICS2 project documentation can be consulted here.

ICS2 Pre-loading requirements

The factsheets are also available in Spanish, German, French, Portuguese, Arabic, Japanese, Russian, Turkish and Chinese. Please click on "Download" and you'll be directed to our website where you can choose the preferred language (“download and languages”).

Factsheet5 February 2021
ICS2 Pre-Loading Requirements - Factsheet

From 15 March 2021, express carriers and postal operators need to provide Pre-Loading Advance Cargo Information (PLACI) to ICS2 about all goods they transport to or via the EU prior to their arrival, in the form of an electronic Entry Summary Declaration.

cover
English
(335.21 KB - HTML)
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