Check if you can apply for other transit simplifications with consignor or consignee status
Find out about other simplifications you can apply for with consignor or consignee status.
There are other transit simplifications you can apply for with your consignor or consignee application.
Authorised consignor - Business Continuity Procedure
If the New Computerised Transit System (NCTS) is unavailable, a paper-based Business Continuity procedure can be used. As an authorised consignor you may be allowed to:
- stamp your own declaration using a special metal stamp (which replaces the stamp of the customs office of departure)
- use declaration forms pre-printed with the imprint of the special stamp
- where your documents are produced by a computerised system, use plain paper laser printed declaration bearing the imprint of the special stamp
You can apply to be authorised to use the business continuity procedure on your application.
If you’re approved, you’ll need to purchase a Business Continuity stamp.
You’ll also need to purchase the special metal stamp if you’re approved to stamp your own declaration.
Details on how to get the special stamp and Business Continuity stamp will be given in your authorisation letter.
If you’re not authorised for the simplified Business Continuity procedure or do not have a Business Continuity stamp you’ll have to submit your declarations to your office of departure during office hours.
Use of special loading lists (NCTS Business Continuity and customs status)
You can be authorised to use loading lists instead of a declaration continuation sheet as the descriptive part of an NCTS Business Continuity declaration or a customs status document (T2L).
Your loading list must conform to a standard layout and requirements.
You can also be authorised to use a special loading list that does not conform to the standard layout and requirements where the list:
- is produced electronically by a company who uses an integrated electronic or automatic data processing system to keep its records
- is designed and completed so that it can be used without difficulty by customs
- includes specific information as required by the transit or customs status legislation
You can get authorisation to use a descriptive list as a loading list if:
- the list is designed and completed so that it can be used without difficulty by customs
- the list includes specific information that’s needed by the transit or customs status legislation - the descriptive list can be produced either electronically or manually
You may also apply for authorisation to use electronic loading or descriptive lists for consignments containing only one item, if this is necessary by your computer programme. You should include a paper copy of your special loading or descriptive list with your completed application form.
Seals of a special type
The use of a seal is compulsory for the movement of sensitive goods under transit. There may also be other reasons why consignments are required to be sealed. Where the description of the goods in the transit declaration is not enough to make the goods readily identifiable a seal will also be required.
For goods to be ‘readily identifiable’ the goods description must be sufficiently precise to permit easy identification of the quantity and nature of the goods.
All goods moving under TIR must travel under customs seal. Guidance on the containers that are acceptable for sealing can be found in Annex 2 of the TIR handbook.
If you wish to use a seal of a special type it must have the essential characteristics and comply with the technical specifications detailed in the European Union legislation.
To help customs to identify the location of seal numbers used, please supply a list of sequential numbers.
Authorised Consignee (TIR)
TIR authorised consignees must arrange for the TIR Carnet to be presented at the local customs office of destination to be stamped or endorsed before the movement can be considered as ended.
You can only apply for this simplification if you wish to regularly receive goods at your authorised locations without presenting them and the accompanying documents at the office of destination.
Your authorised locations can be at:
- your own premises
- a customs controlled area at an office of destination
- customs approved facilities directly associated with an office of destination, for example, warehouse, External Temporary Storage Facility and other temporary storage facilities, including unattended or occasionally attended ports or airports
You must be able to take full responsibility for the control of the goods at the authorised location, to carry out any prescribed unloading checks and to meet the requirements for ending the Common Transit or TIR movement, to the satisfaction of the office of destination.
Once non-Union goods which have moved under a transit procedure arrive at your authorised location they’ll have the status of goods in temporary storage until they are assigned a customs approved treatment or use (for example, placed under another customs procedure such as release for free circulation, entry to customs warehousing, and so on).
In addition to your authorised consignee authorisation you must also have suitable arrangements in place for the temporary storage and subsequent entry of the goods to a customs approved treatment or use after the transit procedure has ended. You’ll need to agree these arrangements with your office of destination before your application for authorised consignee can be approved.
Air and sea simplifications
The sea paper (level 1) or ETD (level 2) simplified procedures are only available to authorised regular shipping services (RSS) and can only be operated between ports named in your RSS certificate. The procedure for sea traffic applies to ports in Northern Ireland only.
If you’re not already authorised as a regular shipping service you’ll need to apply via the C1349 application form.
The National Simplifications Team will not be able to process your application for paper (level 1) or ETD simplified procedures until they receive your application for an authorised regular shipping service.
Air and sea simplified paper manifest procedures
This simplification is for airlines or shipping companies operating an authorised regular service who wish to use a goods manifest in place of a transit declaration.
The layout and content of the manifest must comply with the requirements of the Union/Common transit legislation. Separate manifests must be drawn up for goods carried under T1, T2 and T2F procedures.
You must enclose a completed paper copy of your manifest with your completed application form.
You may also submit your own monthly list of manifests to customs at airports or ports of departure.
Under the paper (level 1) procedures, airlines or shipping companies can also become authorised consignors to authenticate their own manifest without having to present it to the office of departure.
Air and sea simplified procedures – Electronic Transport Document
This simplification is for airlines or shipping companies operating an authorised regular service who operate a significant number of flights or voyages between designated countries and wish to use a single goods manifest in place of a transit declaration.
The layout and content of your manifest must comply with the requirements of the Union/Common transit legislation and the status of the goods must be marked against each and every item listed in the manifest.
You should include a completed paper copy of your manifest with your completed application form.
You must transmit your manifests via a data exchange system.
Applications for air or sea may take up to 60 days from the date we notify customs in the other member states or Common Transit countries of your application because we need to get their agreement to the authorisation.
Authorised Consignor status for shipping companies using their manifest to demonstrate customs status and transmit by Electronic Data Interchange
This simplification is a form of authorised consignor status available to international shipping companies who:
- carry goods on a non-regular shipping service
- use an Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) system to transmit (manifest) information between the ports of departure and destination in the EU or Contracting Parties
- use the manifest to prove customs status
- operate a significant number of voyages between the member states and common transit countries on recognised routes
The simplification allows the authorised shipping company ‘not to draw up’ the manifest until, at the latest, the day after the departure of the vessel (but before its arrival at the port of destination).
To apply for this simplification, you’ll be required to enclose a paper copy of the manifest with your application. You must instruct your offices at each of the ports of departure and destination to inform the customs authorities at these ports of your intention to use this simplified procedure and an EDI system to transmit information.
What you’ll need
When applying for consignor or consignee status you will need to complete the relevant questions for the other transit simplifications you wish to apply for. If you’re:
- an airline requesting ETD (level 2) air simplification you do not need to be established within a Contracting Party or the EU if you have a regional office there
- a shipping companies requesting approval for ETD (was level 2) sea simplifications or retroactively produced Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) manifests used to prove the customs status of goods, you do not need to be established in the EU if you have a regional office there
How to apply
You can apply for other transit simplifications with your consignor and consignee application.