ICS2: important shipping changes to be aware of
ICS2: important shipping changes to be aware of
What you need to know
What you need to know
What you need to know
The European Union (EU) is strengthening safety and security at customs through a large-scale information system called Import Control System 2 (ICS2), and we will need to provide additional information about your shipments to the authorities. Due to this, we are asking you to ensure you provide these details, each time you ship.
Import Control System 2 (ICS2)
The EU’s security enhancements are being supported by a large-scale information system.
What it means for you
1st March 2023
All goods being shipped into or transiting through* the EU** or Northern Ireland, Norway and Switzerland by air will need to have:
A minimum six-digit Harmonised System (HS) code;
Accurate goods description for each item in the shipment;
If known, the receiver's Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) number***.
These rules apply to all goods (except documents), regardless of value.
1st March 2024
These requirements will be extended to shipments via:
Road
Rail
Maritime
It will be mandatory for FedEx to provide this information to the authorities. If it is not supplied with your goods, we may have to delay your shipment until we can obtain the details we need to give to them.
What you need to do
You should be able to find the correct codes for your items on their country’s government website.
A Harmonised System (HS) code is an internationally standardised system of describing and classifying goods. It is used by customs authorities to identify items and apply the correct duties and taxes (or restrictions) to them. In some countries, HS codes are also known by other names. Tariff codes and commodity codes are two of the most common.
This is needed for each type of item you are shipping. The description should answer:
What is it?
What is it made of?
What is it intended for?
Remember to also include the material composition breakdown – e.g. a men’s suit might be 80% cotton and 20% polyester – and check if you require any additional paperwork.
The HS codes and goods descriptions should be added in the dedicated field of your shipping application, as well as on the commercial invoice. Only supplying this information on the commercial invoice is likely to lead to delays in transporting or delivering your goods. If you are unsure of how to enter this information, please contact your sales representative.
If known, you will need to include your receiver’s Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) number*** in the Recipient Tax ID field of your shipping application (if available) and on the commercial invoice.
If you don’t already, please start providing us with these details from now. They will help your business to become more compliant, reduce potential delays at customs, and ensure that the correct duties and taxes are applied when your goods are shipped across borders.
*Shipments originating from Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and Africa (MEISA) may require transit in a country in the EU prior to their destinations in the United Kingdom and other non-EU countries in Europe as well as Canada, Latin America and USA. For details please contact our Customer Support.
**EU countries are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
***Please note VAT registered businesses must obtain EORI numbers. Depending on applicable country or territory regulations, private individuals may need an EORI number to ship or receive packages. In Norway this is referred to as Organization number and Switzerland refer to this as Unique Identification number.