EU Import Control System 2 (ICS2) extends to road and rail transportation from April 2025

The European Union’s Import Control System 2 (ICS2) aims to enhance the safety and security of goods entering the EU by introducing a standardized pre-arrival customs process for all transportation modes, including road and rail, in addition to the existing maritime, air, and inland waterway requirements. By assigning the submission of accurate and complete Entry Summary Declaration (ENS) data before arrival, ICS2 allows customs authorities to better assess the risks related to incoming goods, thereby improving the EU’s ability to prevent and combat customs offenses, and ultimately ensuring a safer and more secure trade environment.

From 1 April 2025, road and rail carriers will need to provide data on goods sent to or through the EU prior to their arrival, through a complete ENS. This obligation also concerns postal and express carriers who transport goods using these modes of transport, as well as other parties, such as logistics providers. In certain circumstances, final consignees established in the EU will also have to submit ENS data to ICS2.

Economic operators who are not prepared for this date needed to contact the National Service Desk of the EU Member State (National Customs Authority) where they have registered and obtained their EORI number, to request a deployment window by 1 March 2025 at the latest. Deployment windows are approved only upon request. To comply with the ICS2 requirements, affected businesses will be required to make sure they collect accurate and complete data from their clients, update their IT systems and operational processes, and provide adequate training to their staff. Economic operators will also need to successfully complete a self-conformance test before connecting to ICS2, to verify their ability to access and exchange messages with customs authorities. Goods might be stopped at the EU borders and might not be cleared by the customs authorities if traders do not meet the ICS2 requirements on time.