Starting from 31 January 2025, all goods imported into Great Britain from the European Union will require a Safety and Security Declaration, commonly known as an Entry Summary Declaration (ENS). This change aligns EU imports with the UK’s existing customs safety and security requirements for goods from the rest of the world.
The amount of safety and security data required on an Entry Summary Declaration will be reduced. There will be 20 mandatory fields which must be completed for all declarations. There will also be 8 conditional fields which only need to be completed in certain circumstances. The remaining 9 fields will be optional to complete or leave blank.
If you already submit safety and security declarations for imports from countries outside the EU (or already voluntarily submit them for EU imports), you don’t need to change your existing systems or procedures if you don’t want to.
However, you can benefit from the reduced dataset by only completing the mandatory and any relevant conditional fields from 31 January 2025.
Key Points:
Mandatory Declarations: An ENS must be submitted for all goods entering Great Britain from the EU, providing advance information about the cargo to UK customs authorities.
Reduced Data Requirements: The ENS will consist of 20 mandatory fields, 8 conditional fields (required in specific circumstances), and 9 optional fields. This streamlined dataset aims to simplify the submission process.
Responsibility: The carrier moving the goods is responsible for ensuring the ENS is submitted. This can be done directly by the carrier or through a third party, such as a customs agent.
Submission Methods: ENS declarations are submitted via the Safety and Security Great Britain (S&S GB) service. This requires compatible software, which can be developed in-house, purchased from a provider, or managed through a Community System Provider.
What data needs to be submitted?
Valid EORI number
Name and address
Reference number
Total number of packages and weight
Type of packages
Any marks and reference numbers
Haulier (for driver accompanied vehicles)
Ferry Operator (for unaccompanied trailers)
Border entry point (name of port)
ETA time and date
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
Trailer seal (if applicable)
Importer EORI number
Description of goods
Tariff numbers
There is more information on the Government website here
If you would like to discuss this further please contact us to arrange a consultation with one of our experts.
