Important: From 1 July 2023, operators started establishing the connection with the Conformance Testing environment. Read more below.
Who?
Operators carrying goods by sea, inland waterways, road and rail.
When?
Release 3 becomes effective on 1 March 2024 (currently being reviewed under the UCC Work Programme). You can find information about the transition from ICS2 Release 2 to Release 3 here.
How?
Operators have to complete the Entry Summary Declaration (ENS) dataset for all goods in these transport sectors, including when they are bringing postal and express consignments into the European Union.
More precisely:
Maritime, road and rail carriers will have to submit ENS data to ICS2. This includes postal and express carriers who transport goods using these modes of transport as well as other parties, such as logistic providers issuing transport documents to their clients, and in certain circumstances also final consignees established in the EU, will have to submit ENS data to ICS2.
Get ready
To meet their ENS data filing obligations, operators will need to update and overhaul their IT systems and business process and provide adequate training to their staff. Additionally, they will have to run the mandatory self-conformance testing before their start of operation. You can find further details in the ICS2 Release 3: technical preparation factsheet below. For the detailed procedure, please check the Self-conformance testing Organisation document.
More information on the technical preparation for Release 3 can be found in the documentation available here.
Under the third release of the European Union’s customs pre-arrival safety and security system – Import Control System 2 – all goods transported on maritime and inland waterways, roads, and railways, to or through the EU, including postal and express consignments, will be subject to new requirements.
- ICS2 Phase 3 Technische Vorbereitung
In Phase 3 des Zollsystems der Europäischen Union zur Warenvoranmeldung zur Sicherheit und Gefahrenabwehr – Import Control System 2 (ICS2) – gelten für alle Waren, die auf Seeund Binnenschifffahrtsstraßen, Straßen und Schienen in oder durch die EU transportiert werden, einschließlich Postund Expresssendungen, neue Anforderungen. Betroffene Wirtschaftsbeteiligte müssen Daten für die Sicherheit und Gefahrenabwehr über eine Entry Summary Declaration (ENS) an ICS2 übermitteln und dazu eine Verbindung zum System herstellen. Unternehmen, die Waren über Seeund Binnenschifffahrtsstraßen, Straßen und Schienen transportieren.
DescărcațiDeutsch - ICS2 phase 3 Préparation technique
Dans le cadre de la troisième phase du système d’information des douanes pour la gestion des risques relatifs à la sûreté et à la sécurité avant l’arrivée sur le territoire de l’Union européenne – Système de contrôle des Importations/Import Control System 2 – toutes les marchandises transportées par voie maritime et fluviale, route et chemin de fer, vers ou via l’UE, notamment par le biais d’envois postaux et express, devront satisfaire de nouvelles exigences. Les opérateurs économiques (OE) concernés devront soumettre une déclaration sommaire d’entrée électronique (DSE) à ICS2. Pour cela, ils devront se connecter au système.
Descărcațifrançais
Dates to remember:
1 July 2023: Connectivity testing (mandatory)
11 December 2023: Functional testing (mandatory)
Check the Self-Conformance testing organisation document for next steps.
1 March 2024: ICS2 Release 3 goes live (currently being reviewed under the UCC Work Programme)
Additional information
As Declarants, economic operators are legally responsible for the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of the ENS data. Therefore, you should pay particular attention to certain data requirements in the ENS:
- the HS commodity code (6 digit) of the goods of a commercial nature (i.e. B2B and B2C): The Combined Nomenclature
- the EORI of the consignee established in the EU, if such number was assigned to this party. Parties need to make their EORI number available to the ENS declarant. The EORI number can be validated at the following webservice of the EU Commission, in order to be sure that the data is correct: EOS What's new (europa.eu).
- The information about Seller and Buyer (or alternatively owner of the goods in the case consignment does not involve commercial transaction) for goods with the final destination in the European Union.
Adequate descriptions of goods in a plain language and precise enough for the customs authorities to be able to identify the goods, is also very important. Please consult the ‘Unacceptable goods descriptions guidance’ available at Import Control System 2 - Release 1 (europa.eu).
It is thus very important that Declarants ensure that all required information is obtained from their clients.
The EU customs authorities may reject ENS declarations in the case of lack of complete data 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 may create delays in processing of the ENS upon the arrival of the consignments and in the entry process, as the risk mitigating referrals must be answered and requested information must be provided before the risk assessment can resume and be completed. Customs may also decide to impose administrative sanctions for non-compliance with ENS data requirements.