New transit declarations will be introduced in September 2023

New transit declarations are introduced in the EU over the period 2021–2023. In Finland, the new transit declarations will be deployed in September 2023. From then on, the declarations are to be submitted via the Customs Clearance Service or through message exchange.

Examples of changes

• In the transit declaration, the commodity code (HS code) must be entered at the level of six digits.
• As a new detail in the transit declaration, the customs office of exit must be provided for the transit when the consignment exits the joint security area of the EU, Norway and Switzerland for another common transit country, such as the United Kingdom.
• Any incidents during the journey must be reported to customs in real time, and customs will send information about them to the procedure holder responsible for transit.
• The structure of the transit declaration changes and the declaration has three different levels in the future. Details that apply to the entire declaration are provided at the top level. Details that only concern a certain consignment are provided at a lower level, i.e. at house consignment level. For example, if the declaration has a different consignor or consignee, their details are provided at house consignment level and not at the top level.
• The transit declaration may be pre-lodged (D declaration) no more than 30 days prior to presentation of the goods at the customs office of departure. In that case, a separate presentation notification must also be provided. The transit is always released for the procedure at the customs office.
• In the future, the holder of the procedure must enter in the transit declaration the amount of guarantee to be reserved (the amount of duties and taxes).

Message exchange customers must update their systems

The transit declarations will be submitted to Customs’ new customs clearance system (UTU) using the data contents and codes laid down in the Union Customs Code. Businesses that submit their declarations in the form of messages must update their systems, as the technical structure of the messages will also change. The businesses must also test their systems with Customs. Message descriptions for transit declarations were published on 9 November 2021. We will provide separate information on when applications for new authorisations or amendments to current authorisations can be submitted. The aim is to start testing the declaration messages with message exchange customers in March 2023.

More information:

Specified timetable: new transit declarations are introduced in September 2023; export and exit declarations in the spring of 2024 (Customer notice 28 April 2022)

Message descriptions for transit declarations to be deployed in March 2023 now published (Customer notice 9 November 2021)

New export, transit and exit declarations to be introduced in 2021–2023 (Customer notice 24 February 2020)

UCC(at)tulli.fi