Authorisations for transport and warehousing

Transit

Transit is a customs procedure that facilitates the transport of goods and international trade. In transit, goods are transported under customs supervision from a customs office of departure to a customs office of destination, where they are placed under a customs procedure. Under the transit procedure, goods can be moved within the transit area without paying customs duties or other charges. However, a guarantee (comprehensive guarantee authorisation) that covers any customs duties and taxes is needed for this purpose.

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Authorisations and decisions

Apply for authorisations or browse decisions on authorisations (service in Finnish and Swedish)

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Authorisation for the status of authorised consignor (ACR)

If a business has the authorised consignor authorisation, it can initiate T-transits in any place in Finland approved by Customs without having to present the goods to Customs. To be granted the authorised consignor authorisation, the business must have the comprehensive guarantee authorisation.

Authorisations for the status of authorised consignor and amendments to valid authorisations are applied for online in the Authorisation and Decisions Service.

If you are unable to log into the Authorisation Service, contact the Customs Information Service.

Authorisation for the status of authorised consignee (ACE) and authorisation for the status of authorised consignee for TIR procedure (ACT)

If a business has the authorised consignee authorisation, it can receive goods arriving under a T or TIR transit procedure into its customs or temporary storage facility without having to present the goods to Customs.

Authorisations for the status of authorised consignee, authorisations for the status of authorised consignee for TIR procedure and amendments to valid authorisations are applied for online in the Authorisation and Decisions Service.

If you are unable to log into the Authorisation Service, contact the Customs Information Service.

Authorisation for the use of seals of a special type (SSE)

A business responsible for transits of goods may be granted an authorisation by Customs to attach seals of a special type to means of transport or packages. The seals must meet the ISO standard 17712:2013 or the requirements in article 301.1 of the Implementing Regulation of the Union Customs Code. The seals must be approved by Customs.

Authorisations for the use of seals of a special type and amendments to valid authorisations are applied for online in the Authorisation and Decisions Service.

If you are unable to log into the Authorisation Service, contact the Customs Information Service.

Authorisation to use transit declaration with a reduced dataset (TRD)

Airlines, shipping companies and railway companies can apply for the authorisation to use a paper-based transit procedure. Conditions for the authorisation:

  • the applicant is an airline, a shipping company or a railway company
  • the company is established in the customs territory of the Union
  • the company uses the Union transit procedure regularly or the competent customs authority knows that the applicant can meet the requirements of the procedure
  • the company has not committed any serious or repeated infringements of customs or tax legislation.

Authorisation for the use of an electronic transport document as transit declaration (ETD)

Apply for the authorisations for the use of an electronic transport document as transit declaration and amendments to valid authorisations via the CDS-system.

Warehousing

A business customer of Customs can apply for an authorisation for warehousing of goods brought in from outside the EU, e.g. if the amount of import duties is high. Warehousing has many advantages for the business. No customs duties or taxes are levied on goods placed under a storage procedure. Also, the goods may await the authorisations and licences needed for import. Storage also makes it possible to choose the final customs procedure later. If the goods are re-exported, no customs duties and taxes need to be paid for them in Finland.

Authorisation for customs warehousing

Customs warehouses are divided into public and private customs warehouses, and there are separate authorisations for them.

  • warehousing of goods in a private customs warehouse (authorisation CWP)
  • warehousing of goods in a public customs warehouse type I (CW1)
  • warehousing of goods in a public customs warehouse type II (CW2)

Goods can be stored only in the facilities or at the address specified in the authorisation. The storage period is not limited. The authorisation for customs warehousing requires a valid authorisation for comprehensive guarantee.

Authorisations for customs warehousing and amendments to valid authorisations are applied for online in the Authorisation and Decisions Service.

If you are unable to log into the Authorisation Service, contact the Customs Information Service.

If you are applying for an authorisation involving more than one Member State, submit the application through the CDS-system.

Authorisation for temporary storage (TST)

If a business doesn’t want to place the goods brought in from outside the EU under a customs procedure directly, the goods can be placed undeclared under temporary storage. The goods in temporary storage must be placed under a customs procedure or re-exported within 90 days of the presentation of goods to customs. The authorisation for temporary storage requires a valid comprehensive guarantee authorisation.

Authorisations for temporary storage and amendments to valid authorisations are applied for online in the Authorisation and Decisions Service.

If you are unable to log into the Authorisation Service, contact the Customs Information Service.