Accessibility statement: Export Declaration Service

 Finnish Customs aims to guarantee the accessibility of its websites and online services in accordance with the Act on the Provision of Digital Services (306/2019).

This accessibility statement applies to the Export Declaration Service.

Alternative service channels

If you are unable to use the Export Declaration Service, you can submit an export declaration at a customer service location of Finnish Customs . You can view customer service locations on a map and the opening hours of customs offices on the website of Finnish Customs. If necessary, customs officials will help you free of charge.

You can also submit your declaration by email to the address spake@tulli.fi or by mail to the address Electronic Service Centre, PO Box 512, FI-00101 Helsinki. Use the export fallback procedure forms for the declaration.

Instructions for other service alternatives (in Finnish and Swedish).

For help in using alternative services, please contact the customs information service, tel. +358 (0)295 5201.

You can also authorise an agent, such as a forwarding company, or another person to submit an export declaration on your behalf.

Accessibility of the service

The accessibility of the service does not fulfil the requirements laid down in the Act on the Provision of Digital Services.

Accessibility was tested in accordance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

Identified accessibility issues

Identified accessibility issues in the service are listed below. If you identify any issue in the use of the service that is not listed below, please contact us.

The following content does not fulfil the requirements laid down in the Act on the Provision of Digital Services. These accessibility issues will be corrected.

  • Keyboard focus is not clearly visible in some essential user interface components. In addition, keyboard focus disappears occasionally in the hidden button element at the beginning of the form. (WCAG 2.4.7)
  • It is nearly impossible to focus keyboard commands on field-specific help texts because the help texts change depending on the field. (WCAG 2.1.1)
  • The programmatic name of ‘Country’ fields is unclear. The value of the ‘Country’ fields cannot be entered by simply entering the name of the country; instead, the country must also be selected from a list, even if the list only includes one option. Users of screen readers do not receive information about the type of the field. Other fields implemented in the same way have similar issues. (WCAG 4.1.2)
  • Help texts are very difficult to identify or use with a screen reader. Help texts are not read automatically together with related fields. (WCAG 1.3.1)
  • The CAPTCHA code presented to users who have not logged in should also be accessible when using a screen reader. Otherwise, the site cannot be used at all without logging in. (WCAG 1.1.1 and 4.1.2)
  • If the declaration is not processed within a specific time, the system stops the processing without giving any separate warning. As a result, information may be misplaced, and users may become frustrated. (WCAG 2.2.1)
  • All pages have the same header. This may confuse users of screen readers, since the service loads several pages that always move focus to the top of the page. (WCAG 2.4.2)
  • No information about errors in forms is provided to screen readers without the user having to move the focus indicator. Error messages presented when submitting a declaration refer to fields in previous phases. (WCAG 4.1.3 and 3.3.1)
  • Screen readers read visually hidden repetitive buttons, which may be confusing for users. (WCAG 1.3.1)
  • There is only a slight difference in the markings for mandatory fields (asterisk) and conditionally mandatory fields (asterisk in brackets). These are practically impossible to separate from one another visually and when using a screen reader. (WCAG 1.3.1 and 3.3.2)
  • Some information about units to be used is presented separately from the name of the field. This means screen readers might read over them, which can lead to the user providing erroneous information. (WCAG 4.1.2)

Making the following content accessible would be a disproportionate burden for the service provider because the service will be replaced with a new service in 2024.

  • Contrast
    • The contrast ratio between the text and the background is insufficient. (WGAG 1.4.3)
    • The contrast of the buttons in the Help window is not sufficient. (WCAG 1.4.11)
  • Help texts
    • Field-specific help texts may be difficult to identify when resizing the content because they are presented in the floating Help element (WCAG 1.4.4, 1.4.10)
    • The floating Help element sometimes covers form fields or text. (WCAG 1.3.2, 2.4.4, 3.3.2)
  • Help page for instructions on how to use the service
    • The title attribute, language and sub-headers of the ‘Help’ page have not been defined so that a screen reader could read the page correctly. (WCAG 1.3.1, 2.4.2, 3.1.1)
    • Texts for links that open files are missing information on the file type. (WCAG 2.4.4)
  • There are deficiencies in alternative texts of visual elements due to which users of screen readers obtain no information about them. (WCAG 1.1.1)
  • The service does not include links to directly access the content. This means that people navigating with a keyboard must go through all the links in the top navigation bar and the menu on each page before they can access the main content of the page. (WCAG 2.4.1)
  • The ‘Help’, ‘System info’ and ‘Call center’ texts are HTML headers but have not been defined as such. (WCAG 1.3.1)
  • The main menu of the service has not been programmatically determined as a menu, so screen readers cannot identify it as a menu. (WCAG 1.3.1)
  • Links that open in a new browser tab or window or open files have not been properly marked. (WCAG 2.4.4)
  • Since the language of language version links has not been defined, a screen reader usually mispronounces them using the rules of an incorrect language. (WCAG 3.1.2)
  • There are structural deficiencies in the HTML code that may affect the accessibility of the service. (WCAG 4.1.1)
  • At parts, the layout of pages has been implemented with line breaks (<br>), which a screen reader will read as empty. (WCAG 1.3.1)
  • Form fields
    • Several labels of form fields are deficient. (WCAG 1.3.1, 3.3.2)
    • Some combination boxes are reset to default values without notifying the user if the user does not select a specific value. (WCAG 4.1.3)
  • Users of screen readers do not receive any feedback on the completion of functions without moving the focus indicator. (WCAG 4.1.3)
  • Table headers
    • Function buttons of tables are located in columns that have no column headers. (WCAG 1.3.1)
    • Row headers of tables have not been programmatically determined. (WCAG 1.3.1)
    • The first column of the table for search results is empty with no header or content. (WCAG 1.3.1)
  • Calendar elements cannot be accessed with a keyboard. (WCAG 2.1.1)
  • Show/Hide Help button
    • The title attribute of the ‘Show/Hide Help’ button is always ‘Hide Help’, even if the text displayed is ‘Show Help’. (WCAG 4.1.2)
    • The button comes before the ‘Log in’ links on its left side in the focus order. (WCAG 2.4.3)
  • After logging in, messages relating to the user’s declarations are listed at the end of the home page. (WCAG 1.3.2 and 4.1.3)
  • Users of screen readers do not obtain any information about the column, according to which search results have been arranged. (WCAG 4.1.2)
  • In-page navigation
    • In-page navigation is presented in the form of links, for which no explanation is provided. (WCAG 1.3.1)
    • No information is given at the different stages on which stage is currently selected. (WCAG 2.4.4, 4.1.2)
  • Information about a declaration being successfully submitted is not provided to screen readers. (WCAG 4.1.3)
  • The CAPTCHA element displayed on the submission page for a user who has not logged in is not accessible to screen readers. (WCAG 1.1.1, 4.1.2)
  • It is difficult to add and edit table rows when using a screen reader. (WCAG 1.3.1, 2.4.3, 2.4.6)
  • No purposes have been defined for form fields on the basis of which browsers would know how to autocomplete the fields or offer the correct keyboard. (WCAG 1.3.5)
  • When a user selects a type from the drop-down menu for additional documents, the page is reloaded and focus jumps to the top of the page. (WCAG 2.4.3, 3.2.2)
  • The purpose/function of the ‘Add next’ button can easily be misunderstood, because the button text does not provide enough information. (WCAG 4.1.2)

Preparing the statement

Finnish Customs has tested the accessibility of the service as follows:

  • The assessment was conducted by an external operator.
  • The service was tested in January 2019.
  • The statement was prepared on 17 September 2020.
  • The statement was last reviewed on 10 June 2022.

Feedback

We are happy to receive feedback on the accessibility of this service.

  • Please send your accessibility feedback to Finnish Customs by emailing asiakaspalautteet@tulli.fi.
  • The declaration department of Finnish Customs is responsible for the accessibility of the Export Declaration Service, and it also responds to feedback given on accessibility.
  • We aim to respond to feedback in five working days.
  • If you are dissatisfied with the response received from Finnish Customs, you can also send feedback on the accessibility of the service to the Regional State Administrative Agency: saavutettavuus@avi.fi.