Providing restrictions

When you are an importer, you must find out if your goods are subject to import restrictions or if a permit is required for them. You must indicate that information in your customs declaration with, for example, conditional codes and additional TARIC codes.

The Customs Clearance Service checks, for example, any restrictions concerning commodity codes directly from the TARIC database maintained by the European Commission. If a commodity code is under restrictions and the required additional information is not included in the customs declaration, the processing of the declaration is interrupted.

An import restriction or prohibition may be based on EU or national provisions. 

Examples of measures and conditions required for goods: 

  • measure codes (restrictions on imports of goods)
  • authorisation codes (import authorisation must be provided).

A condition code can also be used to indicate the fulfilment of requirements for preferential treatment to be applied on goods. For example, condition codes are provided when applying for preferential treatment with the customs declaration in accordance with the EEA Agreement (customs system 2012). In such cases, condition code Y021 is used to indicate that a document qualifying the goods for preferential treatment (for example a EUR.1 goods certificate) can be presented as an attachment to the customs declaration. Read more about preferential treatment.

Providing a condition code

Provide a condition code when you are using a commodity code or a specific customs system that requires a condition code.

Here is how you provide condition codes in various services and transaction channels:

When you submit a customs declaration in the Customs Clearance Service, you can select the applicable condition code from the options available. In other words, you do not have to enter the condition codes required for the commodity code separately. When providing condition codes beginning with Y, it is usually sufficient just to provide the required condition codes on the basis of which you are importing goods. Under “Certificates”, you can choose these condition codes for which no additional information is required. The format of the condition code can be “Y9xx”.

If you are submitting a customs declaration in message format, enter the condition code in the consignment details. If you must present a permit or document for the goods you are importing, you can enter the document code and other required information in the “Additional documents” field. When providing condition codes beginning with Y, it is usually sufficient just to provide the required condition codes on the basis of which you import goods. Under “Other reference”, you can provide these condition codes for which no additional information is required. The format of the condition code can be “Y9xx”.

If you are using a fallback procedure and submitting the declaration on a SAD form, the condition code should be entered in box 44 of the form.

Provide a condition code if you are using a commodity code or a specific customs system that requires a condition code. You can check the condition codes for the commodity code e.g. on the tab “Prohibitions” (information on restrictions) in the Fintaric service, where the measures required by the commodity code are listed. Details about a restriction can be provided e.g. with a condition code that begins with Y and has the format “Y9xx”. With a condition code beginning with Y you can also indicate that the goods you are importing are not subject to a specific restriction.

Read about how to provide condition codes in various services and transaction channels.

The Customs Clearance Service automatically fills in, under “Certificates”, the restrictions covering the commodity code provided in the customs declaration based on the country of origin indicated for the commodity code. The goods may be subject to several restrictions and related certificates. Provide all the required certificates by selecting an import licence or a condition code beginning with Y. A condition code beginning with Y is selected e.g. if the goods are not subject to import restrictions. Provide the required certificates as follows:

  • You can provide the identification data of the import licence or other required document under “Certificates” or later under “Additional documents”. 
    • If e.g. the quantity or value to be indicated in the authorisation must be provided as additional information about the document, provide it (or both if necessary) in the additional information about attachment.  
  • Provide the condition codes beginning with Y in the Customs Clearance Service by selecting the condition code under “Certificates”.
    • If the selected condition code beginning with Y does not require additional information, the selection made under “Certificates” is sufficient. 
    • If the selected condition code beginning with Y requires additional information, provide it later under “Additional references of documents and certificates”. 

Message declarants must find the details required for providing the restrictions based on the commodity code and country of origin e.g. in the Fintaric service. Because the imported goods may be subject to several restrictions, you may have to provide several pieces of additional information required by the commodity code, such as condition codes, in the goods item details. You should always provide the additional information required by the commodity code in the goods item details as follows:

  • You can provide the details of the import licence or other required document in the data element “Supporting document” at goods item level. For the required document or licence, you should always provide the code and the identifying data of the document. 
    • If e.g. the quantity or value to be indicated in the authorisation must be provided as additional information about the document, provide it (or both if necessary) via message exchange in the data group “Write off”, in the data element “Quantity”, including the qualifier (measurement unit), or in the data element “Value”, including the currency unit.
  • Provide the condition code beginning with Y via message exchange in the data group “Additional reference”.
    • If the selected condition code beginning with Y does not require additional information, providing the condition code in the data element “Code” is sufficient. 
    • If the selected condition code beginning with Y does require additional information, it is provided in the data element “Reference number”.  

In the fallback procedure, the condition codes are provided e.g. in box 44 of the SAD form used for submitting the customs declaration for the imported goods. 

Providing an additional TARIC code

The Taric additional code can be used to indicate restrictions on goods or additional information affecting taxation. Additional information that affects taxation may be, for example that the company wants to apply for a company-specific anti-dumping duty on the goods. The Taric additional code to be provided in the customs declaration is always a four-character code. In the Customs Clearance Service and in message exchange, the four-character code is entered under ‘Taric additional codes.’ 

You can find out the Taric additional code to be provided for the goods e.g. in the Fintaric service. First, search for the commodity code of the goods you imported, and select the country of origin of the import goods. If the measure of the commodity code is provided with a four-character Taric code, select the code under ‘additional code.’ 

Please note that, the additional code for the restriction and the additional code affecting taxation have their own tabs in the Fintaric service. Additional codes to be provided for restrictions are under the tab Restrictions, and the tab for the restriction data opens automatically after the commodity code search. Additional codes affecting taxation are under the tab Duties. The commodity code search only opens automatically to the correct tab, if there are no restriction data. Select the tab Duties if you wish to provide additional codes for taxation. 

If you are providing anti-dumping and countervailing duties as well as safeguard duties, read more about how to provide Taric codes and additional information. 

You are importing a video recorder (commodity code 8525809900) from Norway and you need to find out the condition code you must enter in your customs declaration in order to apply for preferential treatment.

In the FINTARIC service, you can access the information for the goods by entering the commodity code in the “Commodity code or description” field. Open the commodity code details by clicking on the commodity code number. Then, select Norway from the “Measures for” menu, and click on the “Duties” tab.

You can apply for preferential treatment accordant with the EEA Agreement using customs system 2012 (EEA). To apply for preferential treatment, you must have the required documentation, for example a EUR.1 certificate of origin from Norway. You must indicate the document entitling to preferential treatment in your customs declaration. You can access the conditions by selecting the icon with two opposite arrows on the row “2012 (European Economic Area)”.

You can access the conditions and codes by clicking the icon. The conditions state that if the document Y021 is not presented, the measure is not allowed. This means that, if you are applying for preferential treatment accordant with EEA Agreement for your goods, you have to include the condition code Y021 and the document entitling you to preferential treatment in your customs declaration.

See also the instructions for using the FINTARIC service.

You are importing a video recorder (commodity code 8525809900) from Norway and you need to find out the condition code you must enter in your customs declaration in order to apply for preferential treatment.

Search the TARIC database for details on the goods. Enter the commodity code in the “Goods code” field and click on “Retrieve measures”.

You can apply for preferential treatment accordant with the EEA Agreement using customs system 2012 (EEA). To apply for preferential treatment, you must have the required documentation, for example a EUR.1 certificate of origin from Norway. You must indicate the document entitling to preferential treatment in your customs declaration.

Search the section “European Economic Area (EEA 2012)” and click on “Show conditions”. Section “B1” contains the entry “Y021”, meaning that the measure can be applied when you have the required document. Section “B2” indicates that if you do not have the required document, the measure is not applicabe. The section “Additional information/Documents produced/Certificates and authorisations” indicates the document that you must present. The section reads “Y021 Request for EEA preferential treatment”. This means that, if you are applying for preferential treatment accordant with EEA Agreement for your goods, you have to include the condition code Y021 and the document entitling you to preferential treatment in your customs declaration. 

Providing a Common Health Entry Document (CHED) and a Certificate of Inspection (COI)

Provide the number of a Common Health Entry Document (CHED) or a Certificate of Inspection (COI) in an import declaration using the appropriate document code. Also provide the CHED and COI line item number of the goods for which you are lodging the customs declaration.

These details must be provided, when the additional document is a CHED-A, CHED-P, CHED-D, CHED-PP or a COI. Please note that the commodity code may require provision of several additional documents. Provide all the required documents using the appropriate document codes.

For example, if the goods you are importing require e.g. a CHED, but no CHED number has been provided in the declaration, Customs will send you an error notification. If the CHED number provided in the customs declaration is incorrect or has the wrong status, the customs declaration may also be rejected. If your customs declaration is rejected or you receive an error notification, check the number of the CHED you provided and the status of the CHED in TRACES.

Don’t forget to provide the CHED-PP in the customs declaration also if the consignment contains wood packaging material the import of which requires a CHED-PP.

Provide the number of a Common Health Entry Document (CHED) or a Certificate of Inspection (COI) in an import declaration using the appropriate document code. Also provide the CHED and COI line item number of the goods for which you are lodging the customs declaration.

For example, when you provide the details of a CHED-PP in a customs declaration, use the additional document code “C085 – Common Health Entry Document for Plants and Plant Products (CHED-PP) (as set out in Part 2, Section C of Annex II to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1715 (OJ L 261))”.

When you lodge the declaration in the Customs Clearance Service:

  • At goods item level, provide the additional document using the appropriate document code. As its description, provide the reference number allocated for the CHED, shown in CHED Box I.2 in TRACES.
  • Under “Additional information about attachment”, provide the line item number of the goods you are importing, shown in CHED Box I.31 (e.g. provide “1”, if the goods are on the first row of the CHED).

When you lodge the declaration via message exchange:

  • At goods item level, provide the additional document using the appropriate document code. As its description, provide the reference number allocated for the CHED, shown in CHED Box I.2 in TRACES.
  • Under “Document line item number”, provide the line item number of the goods you have imported, shown in CHED Box I.31 (e.g. provide “1”, if the goods are on the first row of the CHED).

Please note the following, so that you customs declaration can be accepted:

  • If the import does not require the presentation of a CHED, a condition code must be entered instead of the CHED number. 
    • If your import is exempt from control in accordance with the regulation, enter the condition code starting with Y instead of the CHED. Based on this, you are exempt from presenting the CHED.
    • The condition code must be provided if it can be selected.
  • The document codes reserved for CHEDs may only be used to indicate the numbers of the CHEDs. 
    • If a document code reserved for the CHED is used to provide other details or documents, the processing of the declaration is suspended or it may be rejected. 
  • The details of the customs declaration and the CHED must always be consistent. 
  • The customs declaration must contain as many goods items as line item numbers you have provided in the CHED.
    • For example, herbs can be entered with the same commodity code, i.e. under the same goods item in the declaration. However, if you have entered the herbs on two different lines in the CHED, you must enter the herbs on two different goods items also in the customs declaration.

  • You must indicate a number of items corresponding to the declared number of CHED documents or COI certificates. 

    • For example: You are importing six containers of organically produced oranges. Each container has its own COI and CHED-PP documentation. In your customs declaration, you should declare each container as a separate item. Therefore, your customs declaration must indicate six items even though the commodity code and goods description for the import goods are compatible.

  • Note that you should contact Customs before you submit a customs declaration when a certificate of inspection (COI) has been issued for the entire consignment, and you are about to submit one of the following:

    • more than one customs declaration for goods in a consignment

    • a customs declaration for only a part of goods in a consignment

  • Make sure that mandatory documentation is attached to the certificate of inspection so that the certificate can be processed faster.

Observe also that for the CHED with the status “Authorized for transfer”, a new reference number will be generated after the control result is issued. This new reference number must be entered in the customs declaration.

When you provide the details of a CHED or a COI, use the following additional document codes:

You can check the valid additional document codes in the code list ”CL013G – Additional document – goods item level”.

When import of goods requires the provision of a CHED in the customs declaration, the declaration will be processed as follows:

  1. First, create a CHED in TRACES and send it to the supervising authority. When you have sent the notification, the status of the CHED in TRACES is “New”. 
  2. Provide the CHED number allocated by TRACES in the customs declaration using the appropriate document code. Also provide the line item number of the goods displayed in the CHED.
  3. The processing of the customs declaration will be suspended until the supervising authority has processed the CHED.
  4. When the supervising authority has processed the CHED, the authority will accept or reject the import of the goods.
    • If the supervising authority accepts the consignment for import, the authority will certify the CHED and the status of the CHED changes to “Validated”.
  • If the goods have been transferred to an approved control point (CP), the status of the original CHED is “Authorized for transfer”. When the supervising authority has accepted the goods and added the control result, a new reference number is generated for the CHED and the status changes to “Validated”. Amend the customs declaration by providing the new CHED reference number. If you can’t amend the customs declaration, use a contact request or a free-form contact message to request permission to amend the declaration. Read more about amending a customs declaration.
  • If some of the imported products are rejected, the customs declaration must be split. In that case, the status of the CHED is “Partially rejected”. Read more about splitting a customs declaration.
    • If the supervising authority rejects the import of the goods, the authority will give you separate instructions on how to proceed.

5. Customs will continue processing the customs declaration when the status of the CHED is “Validated”.

Where can I find condition codes and additional TARIC codes?

To find out if you should include a condition code or an additional TARIC code in your customs declaration, you can check the FINTARIC service or the TARIC database maintained by the European Commission. The service and the database provide information on the requirements for using a conditional code. Usually, you must present the required document for using a conditional code.

You are importing a video recorder (commodity code 8525809900) from Norway and you need to find out the condition code you must enter in your customs declaration in order to apply for preferential treatment.

In the FINTARIC service, you can access the information for the goods by entering the commodity code in the “Commodity code or description” field. Open the commodity code details by clicking on the commodity code number. Then, select Norway from the “Measures for” menu, and click on the “Duties” tab.

You can apply for preferential treatment accordant with the EEA Agreement using customs system 2012 (EEA). To apply for preferential treatment, you must have the required documentation, for example a EUR.1 certificate of origin from Norway. You must indicate the document entitling to preferential treatment in your customs declaration. You can access the conditions by selecting the icon with two opposite arrows on the row “2012 (European Economic Area)”.

You can access the conditions and codes by clicking the icon. The conditions state that if the document Y021 is not presented, the measure is not allowed. This means that, if you are applying for preferential treatment accordant with EEA Agreement for your goods, you have to include the condition code Y021 and the document entitling you to preferential treatment in your customs declaration.

See also the instructions for using the FINTARIC service.

You are importing a video recorder (commodity code 8525809900) from Norway and you need to find out the condition code you must enter in your customs declaration in order to apply for preferential treatment.

Search the TARIC database for details on the goods. Enter the commodity code in the “Goods code” field and click on “Retrieve measures”.

You can apply for preferential treatment accordant with the EEA Agreement using customs system 2012 (EEA). To apply for preferential treatment, you must have the required documentation, for example a EUR.1 certificate of origin from Norway. You must indicate the document entitling to preferential treatment in your customs declaration.

Search the section “European Economic Area (EEA 2012)” and click on “Show conditions”. Section “B1” contains the entry “Y021”, meaning that the measure can be applied when you have the required document. Section “B2” indicates that if you do not have the required document, the measure is not applicabe. The section “Additional information/Documents produced/Certificates and authorisations” indicates the document that you must present. The section reads “Y021 Request for EEA preferential treatment”. This means that, if you are applying for preferential treatment accordant with EEA Agreement for your goods, you have to include the condition code Y021 and the document entitling you to preferential treatment in your customs declaration. 

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