Advance notifications and advance inquiries on taking samples

For example:

Foodstuffs and consumer goods subject to intensified controls

Submit the advance notification before import with a standardised document (e.g. a Common Health Entry Document, CHED). The time limits for submitting an advance notification vary according to product group. 

Read more about products subject to intensified controls by the EU

Fresh vegetables, fruits and berries that require a phytosanitary control

Submit the advance notification at least 24 hours before the consignment arrives in Finland with the form Advance inquiry on the import of fresh produce (import declaration) (696) (in Finnish).

Fill in these details

• name of the company
• name and contact information of person handling the matter
• arrival date or estimated arrival date of the consignment
• 10-digit commodity codes of all goods items (can be entered on the commercial invoice or on a separate appendix)

Appendices

• commercial invoice
• compulsory documents in accordance with the Commission’s regulation on increased controls, such as phytosanitary certificates, guarantees or analysis certificates
• other possible documents pertaining to the consignment

An advance inquiry can be made for all foodstuffs and consumer goods imported under Customs supervision.

1. Make an advance inquiry

When the goods have left the country of origin or country of departure, you can send the inquiry no earlier than 7 days and no later than 24 hours before the consignment arrives. For so-called direct runs, the inquiry can be sent even after the goods item has arrived in the country.

Advance inquiry on fruits, vegetable and berries under the scope of phytosanitary controls and conformity checks

• Use the form Advance inquiry on the import of fresh produce (import declaration) (696) (in Finnish).
• Fill in only the top part of the form. In the bottom part, a Customs official fills in the decisions made based on risk assessment.
• Attach the phytosanitary certificate, commercial invoice, bill of lading or a corresponding document, and other documents possibly pertaining to the consignment (including certificate of conformity of fruits and vegetables issued by the country of origin). 

Advance inquiry on other products

• Send the advance inquiry with a freeform notification.
• Attach the commercial invoice and other possible documents pertaining to the consignment. 

Enter also these details:

• name of the company
• name and contact information of person handling the matter
• arrival date or estimated arrival date of the consignment
• 10-digit commodity codes of all goods items (can be entered on the commercial invoice or on a separate appendix)

2. Customs responds – enter in the customs declaration the details you received

Customs will respond to your advance inquiry no later than the weekday before the arrival of the consignment. 

Customs sends you a response by email, which should be archived with the other customs clearance documents. The response is either of these alternatives:

1. No samples / no measures, date, reference number of the advance inquiry, invoice number, name of the consumer safety inspector.
2. Samples to be taken / phytosanitary control / conformity check, date, reference number of advance inquiry, invoice number, name of consumer safety inspector and detailed information on products under transfer prohibition.

When you make the customs declaration electronically, enter with code FIXXX in the additional information for the goods item to be declared, the response by Customs’ consumer safety inspector in the format presented above.

For example: “FIXXX”, “No samples, 1.7.2013, reference number 123456, name of consumer safety inspector.”

Advance inquiry by email concerning a single consignment

• Attach in the same email message all documents pertaining to the consignment.
• The email message can only contain documents relating to a single declaration.
• A single consignment can contain products entered in several commercial invoices.