EU Introduces New Rules for In-bound Air Shipments

Chinedu Eze

The European Union (EU) has announced that it would kick off the second phase of its Import Control System 2 (ICS2), which is the new advanced cargo information and risk management platform, to protect against security and safety threats from goods entering the EU.
The conditions stipulated by the new system was that from March 1, 2023, all air carriers, freight forwarders, express couriers, and postal operators involved in the transportation of goods by air to or through the EU must provide a complete set of Entry Summary Declaration data on the goods, prior to their arrival at the EU external border.

They must do this through the ICS2 system, which is gradually replacing the EU’s existing Import Control System (ICS) between 2021 and 2024. Air carriers currently filing advance cargo information into the Import Control System (ICS) would fully phase out from that system as soon as they start filing this data into ICS2.

The second phase of ICS2 introduces new data requirements and processes to be complied with, prior to transporting the goods from a third country and before their arrival at the European Union’s external border.

Failure by affected economic operators to obtain the necessary data from their clients and to provide it to ICS2 would lead to actions by customs authorities to enforce compliance prior to and on arrival at the external border.

The operators are expected to consult relevant website for additional information on these important changes.
EU also stated that while ICS2 Release 2 was launched on March 1, 2023, economic operators could make a request to start filing into ICS2 at a later date during the time-limited deployment window. They should do this through the Member State where the Economic Operators Registration and Identification (EORI) number of the economic operator, which would be used for the advanced cargo information filing was registered.

The deployment window, if granted, would allow the economic operators to become operationally ready for ICS2 Release 2 after March 1, 2023.
However, to ensure a smooth transition from Release 1 to Release 2, and to facilitate trade operations, the deployment window for each business model and the order in which different types of economic operators connect to ICS2 Release 2 would be aligned across all member states, as defined in the relevant transition strategy. Member states could grant the deployment window up until 2 October 2023.

“If economic operators are not ready by the set deadline, and do not provide the data required under the ICS2 system, consignments and freight will be stopped at the EU borders and the goods in question will not be cleared by the customs authorities,” EU explained.