On March 1, 2023, the European Union (EU) will launch Release 2 of their Import Control System 2 (ICS2) for goods transported by air to EU-27 destinations. ICS2 is required for all shipments transiting via any EU country even if final destination is not a part of the EU, i.e. a shipment from Asia to the UK, where the goods are transiting via any EU country.
What is ICS2?
The Import Control System 2 (ICS2) is the second phase of electronic customs import system that will directly affect all air freight shipments for the EU. This upgraded IT system has been created to collect data about all goods entering the EU prior to their arrival. ICS2 aims to better protect Europe’s single market and its citizens with new Customs safety and security measures and will facilitate free flow of trade through improved data-driven customs security processes that are adapted to global business models.
How this Impacts You and How to Prepare
All stakeholders (shippers, third-party logistics companies and importers) need to evaluate their processes and, at a minimum, reach out to their carriers to ensure that they are preparing to change their IT systems to submit the necessary information in ICS2. If the carrier requires more information than currently provided, the freight forwarder needs to evaluate—together with their customer—if this information can be provided to the carrier or if it will be submitted separately in ICS2.
When tendering a shipment to an airline destined to or via the EU, the following information is mandatory:
- Shipper name
- Shipper address
- Recipient name
- Recipient address
- Number of packages
- Gross weight
- Acceptable goods description (see the full EU guidelines)
- Six-digit Harmonized System (HS) codes along with net weight of each where there is more than a single HS code involved.
- For EU-27, the recipient’s EORI number (see the full EU guidelines)
In case the required information is not provided to the Customs authorities, the goods will be stopped at the EU Customs border and will not be processed for Customs clearance. This can lead to delays in the supply chain or other sanctions of non-compliance with the applicable regulations. Looking for more information about preparing for ICS2 or need a logistics partner for your supply chain? Reach out to Mohawk Global.
By Clarissa Chiclana