Fallback procedure for proving the Union status of goods

Under the fallback procedure, you can use the following documents with manifests, which Customs endorses with a stamp:

• 1165e - Status Registration Document

• A T2L or T2LF document entered on copy 4 of a SAD.
  Form and completion instructions: Customs declaration (SAD)

or

• A transport document or invoice containing only Union goods and at least the following details:
  • code “T2L” or “T2LF”
  • full name and address as well as signature of the consignor, or if there is no consignor, the same details of the person concerned
  • competent customs office (FI002000)
  • number of packages, their type, marks and numbers, goods description, gross mass of the goods in kilograms, value of the goods
  • container numbers, if the goods were loaded into containers

Note that all the fallback procedure documents must contain the operator’s reference number (LRN), by which the proof can be identified. Enter the reference as “BCP MRN” detail in the document as follows:

• BCP MRN: operator’s reference number, for example BCP MRN: 1234567
  BCP = Business Continuity Plan (fallback procedure)

The reference number (LRN) used under the fallback procedure must also be entered after the service interruption with a request for endorsement/registration in the Proof of Union Status (PoUS) system under LRN.

The T2L/T2LF document, invoice or transport document endorsed by the authorised issuer must contain at least the following details:

• code “T2L” or “T2LF”
• full name and address as well as signature of the consignor, or if there is no consignor, the same details of the person concerned
• competent customs office (FI002000)
• number of packages, their type, marks and numbers, goods description, gross mass of the goods in kilograms, value of the goods
• container numbers, if the goods were loaded into containers
• If a SAD form is used: Box C. Office of departure = “Spake FI002000”
• Box D. Control by office of departure:
  • Name of the competent customs office “Spake FI002000”
  • drafting date of the document
  • entry “Authorised issuer”
• The authorised issuer’s special stamp, which can be computer-generated. Stamp format (Appendix 72-04 Part II of the Implementing Regulation):
  
  

(Dimensions: 55 x 25 mm)

• Instructions for filling in the fields of the stamp:
  1. Coat of arms or any other signs or letters characterising the country (= FI)
  2. Competent customs office (= SPAKE FI002000)
  3. Declaration number
  4. Date of submission of the declaration
  5. Name of the authorised issuer
  6. Authorisation number
• Note that all the fallback procedure documents must contain the operator’s reference number (LRN), by which the proof can be identified. Enter the reference number (LRN) as “BCP MRN” detail in the document as follows:

• BCP MRN: the operator’s reference number (LRN) can be e.g.: BCP MRN: 1234567

• • BCP = Business Continuity Plan (fallback procedure)

The reference number (LRN) used under the fallback procedure must after the service interruption also be entered with a request for endorsement/registration in the EU’s Proof of Union Status (PoUS) system under LRN.

To endorse the Union status of goods during the fallback procedure, you can use form 1165e - Status Registration Document (SRD) in accordance with Annex 51 of the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/2447.

Fill in at least the following fields of the document 

Field A (at the top of the document to the right):

MRN = Unique reference number chosen by the customer, by which the proof can be identified. This reference number (LRN) must be used also after the service interruption is over with a request for endorsement / registration in the Proof of Union Status (PoUS) system.

  1. Status code: T2L(F)
  2. Declarant and EORI number: The EORI number and contact information of the person requesting proof of the customs status of the Union goods
31. Packages and description of goods: number of packages, their type, marks, numbers, goods description, container information
33. Commodity code: commodity code of the goods
35. Gross mass (kg): gross mass of the goods in kilograms
36. Net mass (kg): net mass of the goods in kilograms

• If the net mass exceeds 1 kg, and it contains units that weigh less than 1 kilogram, you can round off the weight to the closest kilogram, either down (0.001–0.499) or up (0.5–0.999).
• A net mass of less than 1 kg is entered accurately with no more than 6 decimals (e.g. 0.0123 kg).

54. Place and date as well as the signature and printed name of the person requesting registration of the customs status of Union goods

You can read detailed instructions in Finnish on how to fill in the SAD form in the section ”Tavaroiden yhteisöaseman todistaminen T2L/T2LF-asiakirjalla: Tavaranhaltija tai hänen edustajansa täyttää”. 

Save the pdf that you filled in to your own computer under “File” and “Save as” in the top left-hand corner. Send the saved pdf as an attachment by email.

Once the service disruption has ended, an endorsement/registration of the proof endorsed with a fallback procedure document must be requested retrospectively in the Proof of Union Status (PoUS) system. The document, which was endorsed under the fallback procedure, must be referred to as follows in the request:

• The declarant’s unique reference of the fallback procedure document is entered in the LRN field of the request (LRN/BCP MRN= customer’s reference). 
• The fallback procedure document is entered as the previous document of the request with the code N825 – T2L or T2LF document.
• Code 99210 (Issued retrospectively), is entered as additional information for the consignment of the request.

It is possible to switch to the fallback procedure at the customs office of presentation (FI002000):

• If the customer cannot send messages because of a service disruption in the system, the presentation notification can be submitted in the Customs Clearance Service.
• If there is a disruption in the Customs Clearance Service, you can start a fallback procedure once a disruption notice has been published.
  • You can submit a presentation notification in the Proof of Union Status (PoUS) system or if it does not work, by email. Read the detailed instructions below “Presenting Union goods at the customs office of destination under the fallback procedure from 25 May 2024”

If there is no disruption notice concerning a service interruption, but you do not receive a confirmation of the requests you have sent, contact yritysneuvonta@tulli.fi.

When the goods have obtained proof of Union status from the Proof of Union Status (PoUS) system at the place of departure, but the presentation notification cannot be submitted with a message (FI332) or in the Customs Clearance Service, do this:

If the disruption is in the customer’s system

You can present the arrival of the Union goods:

• via the Customs Clearance Service
• Retrospectively, when your own system works. In that case, note that the goods cannot be released before presentation.

If the disruption is in the Customs Clearance Service/system

You can present the arrival of the Union goods:

• Retrospectively, once the Customs Clearance System/service works. In that case, note that the goods cannot be released before presentation.
• If you wish to release the goods during the disruption:
  • If the Proof of Union Status (PoUS) system works, you can present the Union goods in the system.
    • Deliver the proof of Union Status of the goods to the warehouse keeper or the transport company, which can release the goods after obtaining the proof.
    • Note that after this, the proof cannot be presented with a message (FI332) or in the Customs Clearance Service. The MRN of the proof cannot be found in Customs’ service MRN Search.
    • Instructions: Presentation notification in the Proof of Union Status System under the fallback procedure (in Finnish). 
  • If the Proof of Union Status (Pous) system is not working, the Union goods can be presented by sending the proof of Union Status together with the MRN obtained from the Proof of Union Status system by email to pous@tulli.fi. Customs accepts the documents and grants or prohibits the release by email.

If the proof of Union status was provided under the fallback procedure, the goods cannot be presented with a message (FI332) or in the Customs Clearance Service. 

You can request the presentation of the goods by sending the fallback procedure document, endorsed by the customs office of departure or the authorised issuer, to Customs by email to pous@tulli.fi.

Customs can carry out an inspection in conjunction with the presentation of the goods. When the goods have been accepted as presented, Customs stamps the fallback procedure document with a date stamp and adds the customs officer’s signature and signature clarification. Deliver the proof of Union status of the good to the warehouse keeper or the transport company that can release the goods after obtaining the proof.

Note that a document that indicates a fallback procedure can only be used once, i.e. when it is presented for the first time to Customs in the destination country.

If not all goods in the document proving the Union status of the goods are presented at the same time, the goods that were not presented must have their own separate document of registration/proof of Union status.