Changes to Customs message exchange as of 5 November 2022

Publication date 2.11.2022 9.00 | Published in English on 18.11.2022 at 11.43
Press release

Customs message exchange will undergo changes as of 5 November 2022. In the future, customers will not apply for message exchange authorisation. Instead, customers will apply for registration. In the future, customers will apply for message customer status through the Authorisations and decisions service in order to use the Customs Clearance Service. You should make sure that any persons working in your business who are responsible for message exchange have the required Suomi.fi authorisations for using the Authorisations and decisions service. 

Registration instead of authorisation for message exchange

Depending on the system, new customers will apply for registration as message exchange customers either through the Authorisations and decisions service or with customs form 934, as follows:

  • Customers apply for registration for using the Customs Clearance System (UTU) through the Authorisations and decisions service. 
  • Registration for using other Customs systems (AREX, ELEX, ITU, NCTS, Intrastat, ALA, EMCS) is applied for with customs form 934. 
  • You can apply for registration in order to access the interface for queries on arrival IDs used by Customs and transport companies through the Authorisations and decisions service. 

Current message exchange customers can continue using message exchange in the scope of their authorisations without any separate measures. If current message exchange customers start using their own messages types, they need apply for an amendment to their registrations.

Detailed information is available in Finnish and Swedish in Customs regulation 8/2022. 

Update to terms of use

Terms of use for direct message exchange and the arrival ID query interface were updated on 5 November 2022. The update involves specifications to terms of use in accordance with Customs regulation 8/2022. Moreover, the description on requirements for server certificates were specified. 

See terms of use for direct message exchange and the arrival ID query interface.

Registration for message exchange authorisation in the Customs Clearance System to be applied for via the Authorisations and Decisions Service

As of 5 November 2022, new applications for registrations for using message exchange in the Customs Clearance System (UTU) are to be submitted through the Authorisations and Decisions Service.

When you access the service, select the authorisation type “Other” and then select “Decision on message exchange”. In order to submit an application through the Authorisations and decisions service, the applicant must have a Suomi.fi mandate from their company for applying for customs activity authorisations. The online service for applying for message exchange authorisations will be taken out of use. 

As of 5 November 2022, foreign persons can use the Finnish Authenticator identification in the Authorisations and Decisions Service. Note that, at the moment, it is not possible to transact in the Authorisations and Decision Service on behalf of any foreign company that does not have a Finnish business ID. In such a case, please contact Customs business advisors. 

More information:

When necessary, further information is available from the business advisors at Finnish Customs: yritysneuvonta.tuonti(at)tulli.fi.
Customer notice