As of the 1st of July 2022, two declarations will be required for shipping goods into Great Britain, Northern Ireland, and from Great Britain into Northern Ireland. These declarations, respectively concerning imports and exports, are the ENS (Entry Summary Declaration) and EXS (Exit Summary Declaration).
These declarations, part of the SSD (Safety and Security Declaration), are meant as a way for customs authorities to conduct a risk assessment on the goods entering their territories while ensuring a smooth flow of international trade at their borders.
The Exit Summary Declaration is not a novelty, being in force since 2021. Let’s focus, therefore, on the new entry: the ENS.
For which countries is the ENS required?
The Entry Summary Declaration will be mandatory for shipments entering Great Britain, Northern Ireland, and from Great Britain into Northern Ireland.
However, there are some exceptions: the ENS is not necessary for freights moving between Northern Ireland and EU countries nor for the transportation of qualifying Northern Ireland goods from Northern Ireland to Great Britain. Qualifying Northern Ireland goods are those products that are in free circulation and not under a customs procedure in Northern Ireland before they are shipped to Great Britain.
For which kind of goods is the ENS necessary?
The ENS is required for all kinds of goods with some exceptions:
- Electrical energy
- Goods entering the country via pipeline
- Printed material, letters, postcards and postal items in general
- Travellers’ luggage
- Goods that can be declared orally to customs
A more detailed list of goods exempted from the ENS can be found here.
Who must submit the ENS?
The Entry Summary Declaration must be submitted by the operator of the means of transport, which is to say: the carrier. In the case of road transportation, therefore, this responsibility lies with the haulier.
When should the ENS be submitted?
The time limit for submitting the ENS depends on the means of transportation. For road freight specifically, the time limit is at least one hour before arrival.
Which data are necessary to compile the ENS?
The Entry Summary Declaration contains information regarding:
- Applicant (EORI number, name and address, reference number)
- Carrier (Haulier or Ferry Operator)
- Goods (number and type of packages, weight, marks and reference numbers)
- Route information (entry point, port’s name, expected time and date of arrival)
- Vehicle (Identification Number)
- Importer (importer EORI number, description of goods and tariff numbers)
How does submitting the ENS work?
The customer must provide all necessary information within the time limit, the carrier will fill in the ENS and submit it to the customs authorities. Once the ENS has been analysed, the goods will be identified and a Movement Reference Number (MRN) will be generated.
The Entry Summary Declaration must be as accurate and complete as possible. However, after submission, the ENS can still be amended. If any change should occur in the shipment (amount of goods, ETA, etc.) another ENS can be submitted. The new declaration should contain all the information of the previous one plus the amendments linked to the first entry. On the other hand, if the shipment is altogether cancelled, it won’t be necessary to inform the customs authorities.
What shall our customers do?
Emons Cargo 2WIN has a Brexit team ready to take care of all documents necessary for your shipments. In the case of these new declarations, the only request we make of you is to provide us with the data we need to fill in the ENS within the time limit and then, just relax and let us do what we do best: our job!
For any questions or inquiries about freight to / from the UK, contact us .
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