From July 1st 2022, Safety & Security declarations will be introduced for import declarations into the UK. What do you need to do to be prepared for these changes?
Safety and security information about the goods you are bringing into Great Britain from the European Union will be required from the 1st of July 2022.
Who is responsible for completing these declarations?
The party responsible for ensuring safety and security information is submitted is the operator of the 'active means of transport'. This can mean two different people dependent on the type of shipment:
RoRo accompanied movements
The haulier or haulage company that is contracted to drive the goods from A to B.
RoRo unaccompanied movements
The ferry operator who runs the vessel/train that the containers/trailers have been loaded onto.
You can instruct someone else to do this for you such as:
Your customer
Someone else with your supply chain
A customs agent or intermediary like ACT Forwarding & Logistics
You will retain the overall responsibility for making sure the declaration gets submitted so you will need to ensure it's covered within your commercial terms and conditions. However, any third-party submitting the ENS on your behalf becomes responsible for making sure the content and accuracy of the ENS declaration is full and complete.
How do I access the S&S GB Service?
The S&S GB service can be accessed here.
Please note, that you will need a GB EORI number to be able to submit your safety and security information into S&S GB.
Once you have registered for the service, you can then access the service by either purchasing software from a third-party software developer, using a Community Service Provider or developing your own IT systems to interact with the S&S GB service.
When do I need to submit my ENS declaration?
The legislation requires an electronic ENS to be lodged before arrival in Great Britain. Additionally, in the case of maritime deep-sea containerised shipments, before loading onto the vessel.
The minimum time limits for submitting an ENS to the S&S GB service are as follows:
How does GVMS link in with S&S GB?
If you're using the Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS), the Movement Reference Number (MRN) from the ENS declaration must be recorded in the Goods Movement Reference (GMR) and validated by the carrier at the check in.
What information is required to complete a declaration?
You can find a full list of what is required here on the Safety and Security requirements document, but some of the most important ones are:
Consignor/Consignee
Carrier - This can be only a GB EORI number, but if the carrier only has an EU EORI, then the carrier name and address details become mandatory.
Date and time of arrival
Goods Description or Commodity Code
What happens after submission?
When the ENS is submitted, the information is validated by the S&S GB service. Once this has been accepted, a Movement Reference Number (MRN) is issued to the person who submitted the ENS.
The declaration will then be risk assessed against a set of rules by Border Force to identify shipments they wish to prevent being loaded onto the vessel entering Great Britain or identify shipments they wish to control on entrance to Great Britain.
Process Example
The below steps cover the expected process journey for an ENS declaration from the 1st of July. This process is already in place for non-EU shipments so it should be a smooth transition and work as intended.
The haulier/carrier decides how they will compete the ENS
Haulier/carrier retrieves all required goods information from customer in advance of the movement
Haulier/carrier completes and submits ENS once all goods information and journey details are known
S&S GB validates the ENS submission and, when accepted, will issue a Movement Reference Number (MRN) back to the Haulier/Carrier
The haulier/carrier includes the ENS MRN in the Goods Movement Reference (GMR) before they can check in at the port
The haulier/carrier has the opportunity to make an amendment if the crossing details are different, or if the goods details have changed
The haulier/carrier will be notified by Border Force offices if they want to inspect the goods on arrival in GB
The goods continue on their journey
How can ACT help?
ACT are registered with both the S&S GB service & GVMS and are capable of submitting your declarations for you. If you want to take the stress out of your customs processes and hand them over to a professional and efficient team, then contact us today. A quick look at our testimonials will show you how we've been able to make other people's lives easier.
Should you have any further questions, or need our help in preparing for these changes, please contact us on enquiries@act-forwarding.com or +44 1304 273652 today and we can talk you through how we can help you.