Publication
Moving goods under Transit Procedure via the UK landbridge: Ireland – Great Britain – France
From Department of the Taoiseach
Published on
Last updated on
Background
A range of new steps must be completed in order to move goods under the transit procedure from 1 January 2021. Depending on the model used by operators to manage the transit (e.g. in-house or via a customs agent), there is flexibility as to who completes a number of stages. It is therefore vital that all actors in the transit chain (e.g. traders, logistics companies, customs agents, hauliers etc.) understand and agree in advance who is responsible for each of the steps along the route. Failing to clarify this will disrupt your trade and lead to possibly severe delays including not being given permission to enter Ports or board ships.
The term “Responsible Operator” is used below to cover all relevant actors within the transit chain (e.g. traders, logistics companies, customs agents, hauliers etc.) who, depending on circumstances, may complete the required processes and steps.
We have set out below an overview of the steps traders should take when moving goods on a transit route between Ireland and France. The example is for illustrative purposes and should be taken as broad advice only. It is up to the responsible operators to ensure that they understand the precise steps required from 1 January 2021 to move their specific consignments across their chosen transit route and who will be responsible for completing the various steps. We will update this example as more information comes to light in the coming weeks.
In preparing the examples, the trader is considered to be customs compliant (i.e. has an Irish EORI number and is VAT registered), and has made provision to have a financial guarantee in place and is not an authorised consignor.
Where vehicles containing Union animal products (excluding consignments of animal by-products which must be sealed) are consolidated during transit of Great Britain with non-Union animal products, the vehicle can no longer benefit from the flexibilities provided for EU-EU transits on re-entry, as the presence of UK goods will require the vehicle to be presented to the border control post for official controls including the necessary identity and physical checks.
Note in addition, that transiting consignments of Union animal products are not permitted to be unloaded in warehouses in GB as, if the goods are unloaded, they will require to be certified by the UK authorities for export to the EU.
The list of France’s designated BCPs is available here.
Ireland to Great Britain
1. Live animals and germinal products must always be accompanied by the relevant intra-EU trade certificate.
2. Consignments of animal by-products must be sealed by the responsible operator.
3. The French authorities require that the responsible operator must give 24 hours prior notification of arrival of consignments of live animals, germinal products, products of animal origin, composite products, animal by-products and derived products, and hay and straw by submitting Part 1 of the Common Health Entry Document (CHED) in TRACES NT.
4. The Responsible Operator submits a combined exit summary declaration and transit declaration onto the NCTS system. The CHED reference number generated at step 3 above must be included on the transit declaration. This generates an S(TAD) – a Transit Accompanying Document (TAD) that contains safety and security information - with a unique Movement Reference Number (MRN).
5. Create a Pre-Boarding Notification (PBN) on the Customs RoRo service. The PBN must include the MRN of the (S)TAD. If the vehicle contains several consignments, the MRNs of all the declarations must be included in the PBN.
6. Once the PBN is completed, the driver can check if they may proceed to Dublin or Rosslare Port using the Customs RoRo Service. The hard copy (S)TAD must travel with the goods. The driver provides the PBN details to the Ferry Operator at check in. If all is in order, the vehicle will be allowed to board the ferry.
7. The haulage company also must lodge the details of all the (S)TADs on the vehicle onto the UK’s Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS). This will require a UK EORI number to access the GVMS system.
Note: If you are moving animals/ SPS goods as part of the transit be advised that the UK has stated that it will apply equivalent rules to goods transiting Great Britain as those that apply to 3rd country goods transiting the European Union. These requirements will be introduced on a phased basis from 1 January 2021. These requirements, including the possible requirements for IUU/Catch Certification and any other UK-entry requirements for fish and fish products which the UK Government may put in place, are being clarified by the UK authorities and further detail will be provided in due course.
In Great Britain
8. Upon arrival in Great Britain, if all in order, driver does not have to interact with Border Force as the office of transit function will be completed digitally using the GVMS information. If GVMS is not operational, a call at an Office of Transit is required to have the (S)TAD stamped.
9. An exit summary declaration must be submitted to HMRC, the UK tax and customs authority.
10. If transiting through a port in Kent or the Eurotunnel, trucks over 7.5 tonnes must complete checks on the UK 'check an HGV is ready for the border service 'to confirm that the haulier has the relevant declarations to proceed to France.
11. If a 'Kent Access Pass' is issued, the lorry can move to their chosen port or the Eurotunnel. If a Pass is not issued, the haulier will be advised to obtain the required documentation and resubmit the application. Drivers should not enter Kent without this permit as they will be subject to a £300 on the spot fine if they cannot produce the permit.
Note: If transit is not through Kent, drivers can proceed directly to their port without engaging with the Check an HGV system. However, the Check an HGV system can also be used on an advisory basis for vehicles under 7.5 tonnes as well as for vehicles travelling to other UK ports.
Great Britain - France (Calais, Dunkirk and Eurotunnel)
12. An entry summary declaration (ENS) must be lodged to the French ICS system.
13. Prior to check in at port of departure/EuroTunnel in Great Britain, driver enters the MRNs for all consignments in the vehicle on SI Brexit which creates a unique identifier for the vehicle. The MRN of the ENS created at step 12 above does not need to be entered on SI Brexit. Driver provides the unique identifier to the Ferry Operator at check in who pairs it with the vehicle registration number.
14. Prior to arrival in France, the driver will see the status of their lorry on TV screens on board the ferry.
15. Once no issues are noted by the French authorities, the responsible operator(s) have completed all the stages correctly including in respect of TRACES where relevant and the load is moving under transit, the driver should be given a 'green' routing and will be allowed to leave the port without interacting with French customs and proceed to close the transit. SI Brexit validates the MRNs of the (S)TADs on the French customs system and performs the office of transit function digitally.
16. If the goods are being delivered to an Authorised Consignee, the goods can proceed directly to the traders’ premises. The Driver hands over the TAD with the delivery to allow closure of the Transit. If the customer is not an authorised consignee, the Driver must call at an inland Office of Destination to complete the transit formalities. Once all of the steps are performed, the transit is closed on the NCTS system and the financial guarantee is automatically released.
