From June 1, Romania, Poland, Slovakia and several other EU countries have finally switched to the new customs control system ICS2 (Import Control System 2) for road transport. The transition period has ended, and from now on, trucks with inaccurate documents simply will not be allowed to cross the border.
What does this mean in practice and how will it affect the situation at border crossing points? Let's break it down briefly and to the point.
Let's reassure travelers immediately: these changes do not apply to passenger cars and buses at all. For you, the crossing rules remain the same.
What has changed for commercial transport?
Until June 1, the old system (ICS1) was in effect, which "forgave" some inaccuracies. Now it has been completely disabled. The main rule from now on: without a correct ENS (Entry Summary Declaration), a vehicle will not enter the EU.
Moreover, this declaration must be submitted and accepted by the European system at least 1 hour before the physical arrival of the truck at the customs post. Driving up to the barrier and starting to sort things out on the spot will no longer work.
Why trucks might be "turned back" and what queues have to do with it?
The new system is designed to analyze security risks before goods cross the border. Therefore, it requires ideal data quality. What exactly has become stricter:
- No generalizations in the description. Words like "clothes," "car parts," or "general cargo" are now on the list of so-called Stop words. The European system automatically rejects them. Specificity is required: for example, "men's cotton T-shirts."
- Codes and identification. Each product must have at least a 6-digit customs code (HS code). Valid EORI numbers are also mandatory for all participants in the chain: sender, carrier, declarant, and final recipient.
How will this affect the situation at the border?
The main problem is that a "single submission" model is currently in effect. The carrier must collect all ideal data from customers and send it in one package. Any error by a clerk or supplier leads to the declaration not being accepted, and the truck "gets stuck" at the border without exceptions.
Since a part of the logistics market is still adapting to the new strict rules, delays may occur at cargo terminals. Vehicles with errors in the system will simply slow down the general queue at cargo directions of the borders with Romania, Poland, and Slovakia. See actual queues and waiting times for trucks in our section for long-haul drivers.
💡 Advice for drivers and logisticians:
Control your brokers. Do not proceed to the border crossing point itself (do not enter the terminal) until you receive confirmation that the ICS2 system has successfully accepted your ENS declaration. This will save your nerves and the time of colleagues in the queue behind you.