Changes to entry declarations and temporary storage declarations

ICS2 (Import Control System 2), phase 2 of the EU's safety and security reform involving entry declarations

ICS2 system, into which the entry declarations are submitted (previously referred to as CR) 

STI-STP (Shared Trader Interface-Shared Trader Portal), the Commission’s ICS2 declaration service

CIRCABC website, contains message specifications published by the Commission

ITSP (Information Technology Service Provider), service provider for message declarants 

IE (Information Exchange), used when exchanging declaration messages

DVV (Digital and Population Data Services Agency), server certificates

ICS2R2 (ICS Release 2), declarations for air cargo

ENS (Entry Summary Declaration)

AN (Arrival Notification), submitted to the Commission’s system

PN (Presentation Notification), submitted to Finnish Customs’ system

TSD (Temporary Storage Declaration), submitted by the carrier

AC (Assessment Complete), response received for an ICS2 declaration, notifying that the declaration has been accepted and the goods can be loaded onto the vessel or aircraft departing for the EU

EO (Economic Operator)

HTI (Harmonised Trader Interface)

KC3 (Third Country Known Consignor)

The EU Commission has published message specifications on the Circab website for the messages to be deployed. There will be new entry declaration messages, and the data content of the old messages will change.

Message abbreviations

The messages are numbered according to their use. Messages beginning with IE3F are entry summary declarations that message declarants send to the EU’s ICS2 system. The data contents of entry summary declarations vary depending on the mode of transport, on who submits the declaration and on whether a declaration with all details or only partial details is provided. For example, the messages IE3F10–IE3F17 are entry summary declarations for maritime cargo and the messages IE3F20–IE3F29 are entry summary declarations for air cargo.
The new message declarations are numbered as follows:

• Messages beginning with IE3A are amendment requests sent by message declarants.
  • For example, amendment of the message IE3F20 details is requested using the message IE3A20.
• Messages beginning with IE3Q are used e.g. for requesting additional information from the declarant (IE3Q02) or the declarant can request invalidation of the declaration (IE3Q04).
• Messages beginning with IE3R are responses.
  • IE3R01 is a response sent to inform the declarant of the registration of the entry summary declaration and of the MRN issued to the declaration.
• Messages beginning with IE3N are various notifications.
  • IE3N06 is a notification sent by the message declarant of the arrival of the goods, i.e. an arrival notification.
  • IE3N08 is a control notification sent to the customer.

Where to find the message specifications

Read about the ICS2 declarations’ message specifications and customer testing on EU’s Circabc webpage in group ”EU Advance Cargo Information System (ICS2)”.

The message data requirements can be downloaded from the folder “ICS2 Common Functional System Specifications”. Open the latest version (ICS2-HTI-v3.00.zip) of the folder “ICS2-HTI”, download it and select the folder ”ICS-HTI-IE”. Under the subfolder ”HTI-IEs", you can choose whether to view the data contents in text format (RTF) or in spreadsheet format (XLS).

The data content of each message is in a separate file. The message abbreviation is used as the file name. The abbreviations of the declaration messages used in different modes of transport as well as the message names are found on this page.

When a company has been issued an EORI number in Finland, the application for message exchange customer status for ICS2 declarations shall also be sent to Finnish Customs. If you use an IT service provider for sending and receiving messages, you do not have to apply for message exchange customer status for ICS2.

1. Send the application 

Send a free-form email to the Customs Authorisation Centre at lupakeskus(at)tulli.fi. Include the following information in the application:

• the name and EORI number of your company
• one of the following roles in which you are submitting declarations: 
  • carrier
  • express operator
  • postal operator
  • house level filer
  • representative
  • IT service provider
• email address of the person in charge of the testing
• person responsible for message exchange: name, phone number and Email address.

Customs will send you instructions on how to create an EU Login for the person in charge of the testing. After creating the EU Login, the person in charge of the testing will notify Customs’ international helpdesk at hd(at)tulli.fi of it.

Customs will register the details of the company in the Commission’s centralised Identity and Access Management System (IAM). Customs will notify the person in charge for the testing of it. The person in charge of the testing shall use the EU Login to log into the Commission’s IAM System, accept the provided details and save authorisation details. Then the person can log into the ICS2 service (STI-STP) used for the testing. Users log in to the ICS2 service via the EU Trader Portal. Alternatively, the person in charge of the testing can, in the IAM System, authorise some other person to use the ICS2 service (STI-STP). 

2. Customs Business Information can provide consultation

After receiving the application, Customs Business Information will contact the customer to ask if there is a need for consultation regarding testing arrangements and obtaining a service certificate. 

3. Obtain a server certificate

Obtain a server certificate either from the DVV (the Digital and Population Data Services Agency) (recommendation) or from some other certifier approved by the Commission. If you use a server certificate issued by some other certifier than the DVV, register the certificate in the Commission’s UUM&DS Admin system. The same certificate is used both for sending messages and in the message testing and production system.

4. Preparations for the testing

Start the customer testing by logging into the EU Trader Portal with your EU Login username and your company’s details. Then select the ICS2 service, called STI-STP (Shared Trader Interface-Shared Trader Portal) in the EU Trader Portal. 

After identification, fill in the details of the message exchange customer under “Manage Preferences”. Fill in the following details:

• Actor type, the role in which the customer sends declarations and receives notifications from the Commission. On the basis of the role, the test automation will later suggest the test cases that the actor must carry out.
  • A message exchange customer logged in as a test customer must choose declarant as the type.
• Configuration details, e.g.
  • the message exchange customer’s own URL
  • whether the message exchange customer is going to retrieve the response notifications from the Commission’s system or whether the Commission should send the response notifications automatically.

5. Testing

Customs’ international helpdesk (hd(at)tulli.fi) will provide support regarding testing. From your own system, send the test cases that the ICS2 service (STI-STP) has suggested. Provide your company’s own details as “Declarant” details and use your company’s certificate. In the service, you can see how the testing proceeds. 

After the testing, notify Customs that the testing has been completed. Customs will then send you a decision on registration.

6. Make sure that presentation notifications are submitted to Finnish Customs. 

If your company submits not only entry summary declaration messages to the ICS2 system, but also presentation notifications via message exchange, the presentation notifications shall be submitted to the Customs Clearance System of Finnish Customs. To do this, your company must apply for message exchange customer status from Finnish Customs and test the submission of presentation notifications with Finnish Customs. Read more about testing messages with Finnish Customs.

7. Starting production use

Log into the ICS2 service (STI-STP) via the EU Trader Portal. Logging into the service requires Suomi.fi identification and the mandate “Customs clearance”. The details saved by you in this service earlier, during the testing phase, are not automatically transmitted to the production environment, so you must provide your contact details in the service, as well as the actor types, roles and configuration details to be used in production.

 

 

 

Message number	Amendment message number	Entry summary declaration	Operator responsible for the declaration
IE3F30	IE3A30	Express consignments — Complete dataset lodged pre-arrival	Express operator
IE3F31	IE3A31	Express consignments on Air cargo (general) – Complete dataset lodged pre-arrival by the express carrier	Carrier
IE3F31	IE3A32	Express consignments — Minimum dataset to be lodged pre-loading in relation with situations defined in Article 106(1) second subparagraph	Express operator
IE3F33	IE3A33	Express consignments on air cargo general – Partial dataset – House air waybill lodged pre-arrival by a person pursuant to Article 127(6) of the Code and in accordance with Article 113(1)	Express operator
IE3F34	IE3A34	Express consignments on road – Complete dataset lodged pre-arrival	Express operator

Message number	Amendment message number	Entry summary declaration	Operator responsible for the declaration
IE3F10	IE3A10	Sea and inland waterways – Complete dataset – Straight bill of lading containing the necessary information from consignee	Carrier
IE3F11	IE3A11	Sea and inland waterways – Complete dataset – Master bill of lading with underlying house bill(s) of lading containing the necessary information from consignee at the level of the lowest house bill of lading	Carrier
IE3F12	IE3A12	Sea and inland waterways – Partial dataset – Master bill of lading only	Carrier
IE3F13	IE3A13	Sea and inland waterways – Partial dataset – Straight bill of lading only	Carrier
IE3F14	IE3A14	Sea and inland waterways – Partial dataset – House bill of lading only	House level filer
IE3F15	IE3A15	Sea and inland waterways – Partial dataset – House bill of lading with the necessary information from consignee	House level filer
IE3F16	IE3A16	Sea and inland waterways – Partial dataset – Necessary information required to be provided by consignee at the lowest level of transport contract (Lowest house bill of lading where the master bill of lading is no straight bill of lading)	House level filer
IE3F17	IE3A17	Sea and inland waterways – Partial dataset – Necessary information required to be provided by consignee at the lowest level of transport contract (straight bill)	House level filer

Message number	Amendment message number	Entry summary declaration	Operator responsible for the declaration
IE3F50	IE3A50	Road mode of transport	Carrier
IE3F51	IE3A51	Rail mode of transport	Carrier

 

 

 

Read the EU’s instruction material regarding ICS2 Release 3 for message exchange customers