European Customs leniency as new security system kicks in

Exporters to Europe have
been given a welcome
breather following the
January 1 introduction of a
new Import Control System
designed to beef up security.
European authorities have
indicated that no penalties
will be implemented
for late submission of
documentation – at least
for the first two months of
the year – as shippers and
shipping lines acclimatise to
the new system.
ICS requires that
entry summary (ENS)
declarations are submitted
to the first airport or seaport
of landing in the EU prior to
arrival of any cargo destined
for, or transiting the EU.
The ENS declaration must
be submitted on ocean
shipments at least 24 hours
prior to a vessel’s departure
or on other modes within a
specified period prior to the
flight or vehicle’s arrival
at the airport/ port of first
landing.
ICS is intended as another
measure that will help
increase the security of the
global supply chain.
“There have been some
hitches on the European
side,” Maritime Carrier
Shipping’s Marc Frauendorf
told FTW, “which is why
they’ve agreed to a policy of
leniency and will not impose
penalties until all teething
problems have been sorted
out.”
Agency branch manager in
Gauteng, had a similar story
to tell.
“We haven’t had our first
official vessel across yet
but won’t have problems
initially because of problems
in Europe.”
And according to Philip
there’s been a good response
from local shippers.
“For the past few months
we’ve been sending out a
notice with every shipping
instruction about the
requirements and most
shipping instructions are
coming in in reasonable
time – but it’s early days.”
DAL has contracted a
company in Germany to do
an interface with customs
to harmonise its systems.
“We’ve supplied the
information via our systems
but because Customs is not
ready on the other side we’re
not able to fully test our
systems and compatibility.”
“As with any process,”
says Jozef Ghysels, regional
key accounts director for
Safmarine in Antwerp,
“there have been some
issues going live in so
many countries.
“And the parties affected
are not only customers
and the respective customs
organisations, but some third
party EDI providers with
whom Customs is working
as the receiving or delivery
box of the messages sent by
the respective carriers.
“We continue to
emphasise to our customers
the importance of
submitting the shipping
instructions on time, using
the required description and
also providing us with the
HS6 code.”
According to Ghysels, the
authorities are enforcing the
legislation except in those
countries where there are
still some technical issues
on their side.
“Flexibility towards
us (and other carriers) is
shown – but this is only in
those specific cases where
it can be demonstrated that
all efforts and actions have
been undertaken to supply
the required data in the right
format and within the said
deadlines.”
Ghysels says there is still
no clarity on the level of
penalties that are likely to be
imposed for non compliance.
“But in the initial period,
Customs in all the countries
we are dealing with is
co-operating constructively
to find solutions.”
The new security system
has been implemented in
all 27 member states in the
EU as well as Norway and
Switzerland.