ICS2 for Carriers: What Data to Submit and When, Before Entering the EU

Introduction

For a carrier moving cargo into the European Union, ICS2 is paperwork that has to be handled immediately. Given that it is a pre-arrival requirement, the information must be shared with the EU customs even before the shipment is underway. In case the carrier misses this opportunity, it is likely to have delays in getting permits to transport the cargo and customs clearance done. The real issue for transporters is the understanding of data that has to be submitted.

ICS2 (Import Control System 2) is a system under which the carriers and transporters have to submit entries (ENS) prior to entering the EU. Under the system they are supposed to state goods descriptions, HS codes, EORI numbers and details as to parties involved. Deadline is mode-dependent and allows transporters to provide information 24 hours before loading using sea freight, several hours before departure or arrival using air freight as well as about 1 hour prior to arrival in case of road shipping.

What is ICS2?

Are you familiar with the jargon? The Droblet's trade compliance glossary explains ENS, EORI, HS codes and other terms that may be confusing.

According to ICS2 is the enhanced cargo security information system of the EU that collects information on the safety and security of goods going in and out of the EU (including Norway, Switzerland and Northern Ireland) before they land. This system works in conjunction with customs declarations, ICS2 is not a system for imports and does not approve customs declarations for the release of products into the free market. You can see it as a security check happening before the start of transport.

ICS2 is required for all shipments passing through any EU country regardless of the final point of arrival for instance, if we transport goods from Asia to the UK, we have to file ENS even though goods are shipped from outside the EU border.

Key Takeaways

• The previous system, ICS1, was succeeded by ICS2, which means that as of September 1, 2025, ICS1 shall be completely shut down and ICS2 shall be used for handling data on security and safety in aerial, maritime, road and rail transport.
• You shall deal with the Entry Summary Declaration document.
• Deadlines for the submission of reports are counted from the moment of departure or arrival, depending on the type of transportation, rather than from the moment when a booking is made.
• It is carriers who are obliged to submit reports, although they get the necessary data from importers or freight forwarders.
• One of the main causes of unsuccessful ENS submissions are ambiguously named cargos.

Who Has to File, and Who's Legally Responsible

The carrier is required to submit the ENS. Nevertheless, either the importer, consignee, or any other party capable of presenting the cargo to Customs can do this in his stead. In multimodal transportation, the carrier responsible is the operator of the means of transport coming into the EU. This situation creates a shared responsibility framework.

In practice, both the carrier (at the carrier-level) and freight forwarding agency (at the house level) hold an independent legal responsibility of their ICS2 submission. This means that the freight forwarding agency cannot hand over any incorrect filing and expect to be covered by the carrier’s due diligence in fixing the matter.

ICS2 Rollout: How We Got Here

The launch of ICS2 has been a multi-phased process, taking place over the course of various releases.

• Release 1 – March 15, 2021: Introduced ICS2 for postal operators and express carriers.
• Release 2 – March 2023: Extended the requirement to all air cargo operators, effective since ICS2 Release 2 (March, 2023).
• Release 3 – 2024-2025: Incorporated maritime, inland waterways, road, and rail into its scope. The start of application of Phase 3 for maritime carriers was June 3, 2024 (initially transitional and mandatory from December 4, 2024). The requirements for road and rail are set to begin on the implementation of Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2879 on April 1, 2025.

Certain carriers that failed to meet the cutoff deadline may still seek to secure additional time. Economic operators found waiting until the deadline to be ready needed to reach out to the National Service Desk of their EU Member State for assistance. They were required to submit their request for a deployment window by 1 March 2025 and the administration only approved requests for delay. If your organization took advantage of any of these requests, ensure you have your compliance status verified, as the extensions aren't unlimited. [Verification Required].

Data Included in the ENS

The ENS is not made up of one simple field, rather it is made up of several data elements. The ENS consists of 37 elements according to the ICS2 regulation, 20 of which are compulsory in any case, while 8 depend on the type of goods or the mode of transport. The fields which must be completed may be grouped into clearly defined categories:

Information on goods

Includes the description of goods, commodity number (HS) number, gross weight in kilograms, quantity and type of packages, designation and numbers, country of origin and the UN code in case the goods belong to the category of dangerous goods.

Information on parties

The sender’s name and address along with the EORI number, the receiver’s name and address with the EORI number and the Carrier’s EORI number.

Information on the conveyance

Mode of conveyance across the border, identification and nationality of the means of conveyance (vessel IMO number, flight number, car registration number or wagon identification) and handling points.

HS codes

An accurate description of the product and the 6-digit HS (Harmonized System) code are necessary for evaluating risks.

Are you unclear about the validity of an entity's EORI number before filing? In just a matter of seconds, you can check it with Droblet's free EORI Validator. One important point to mention when filing goods from outside the European Union: EORI numbers for consignees in Switzerland, Norway, and Northern Ireland are not necessary.

Goods Descriptions: Where Most Filings Go Wrong

Does your shipment require a 6-digit HS code? Use Droblet's free HS Code Search tool to find out.

Generic descriptions are a common reason for import troubles. ICS2 has set "stop words." This means that if a shipment is described vaguely as machine parts, clothes, fruits, or machinery, it will be automatically denied. If the shipper is still using one-word descriptions, they should stop doing this right away instead of risking their exports being refused.

Filing Deadlines by Transport Mode

This is the essential aspect for all transportation agencies since it makes all the difference between being able to have a cargo ship in the course of the minute and being stopped before departure. If you prefer not to work out the exact timing reference every time you need it, try Droblet's ENS Deadline Calculator which does it for you depending on your transport and moment of departure data.

Maritime (ocean freight)

When using maritime (ocean freight) transport, ENS data has to be submitted at least 24 hours prior to the loading of the cargo. If one uses an indirect route, it should be noted that "ENS must be submitted no later than 24 hours before the loading of the cargo is started at the transshipment point."

Maritime (short sea)

For short sea transport, there is a narrow timeframe available. As stated by the statistics, "ENS filing should be accepted no less than 2 hours before the arrival of the vessel at the initial port of the EU."

In air transportation, there are two steps involved in air cargo or air freight. For air freight, a basic amount of data must be submitted prior to packaging, with a comprehensive ENS following before arrival. As an example, air freight requires submission at least 4 hours in advance before arrival when it comes to long-distance trips, though a lesser time frame may be applicable for state-to-state movements within Europe from non-European countries.

As for transportation by road, the ENS should be filed at least an hour before arriving at the very first customs point of entry. Given how short the time span is, this is the reason hauling businesses make every effort to process the shipping information way ahead of the truck arrival.

With respect to rail movement, railway operators also act according to the same framework as the road operators do. In fact, the date when rail as in the case of road transport is put into operation is April 1, 2025 according to Annex B of the UCC DA/IA document.

An Alternative Route for Road and Rail: NCTS-P6

As per alternatives in some countries the Economic Operator can meet ICS2 ENS filing needs for rail and road through NCTS-P6., by providing the ENS info along with the declaration for transit. This will help in case one is already utilizing the NCTS procedure for reducing data entry - worth discussing with the customs broker in case they are not using it.

Example

A haulier in the UK is to transport a delivery of electronic packed components to a buyer in Rotterdam. Before the vehicle can leave the UK, one has to inform the freight forwarder about the consignor’s and consignee’s EORI numbers, the description of the goods ("batteries for power tools," not just "electronics"), the HS code for each product, gross weight, registration details and name of the seller. Since this has to be forwarded in time to allow lodgement of ENS at the customs station prior to the truck reaching the first customs airport.

ICS2 Filing Deadlines by Mode

Call-To-Action

Getting ICS2 filings right isn't a one-time fix — it's a process you need to rebuild into your booking workflow, your data collection from shippers, and your deadline tracking by transport mode. If your team is still managing ENS filings manually across spreadsheets and email chains, it may be worth looking into a dedicated ICS2 filing tool or working with a customs broker who already has the workflow built out.

Droblet's ICS2 filing platform automates the ENS data extraction and submission process pulling party, goods and transport details straight from your invoices and packing lists and filing declarations in around 90 seconds. If you want a quick way to sanity-check a filing deadline before it's committed, Droblet's free ENS Deadline Calculator is a useful starting point.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What is ICS2 in simple terms?

ICS2 is the EU's system for collecting security and safety data on cargo before it arrives at or transits through the EU, Norway, Switzerland or Northern Ireland, via a pre-arrival Entry Summary Declaration.

Q2: Who is responsible for filing the ENS?

The carrier primarily, though importers, consignees, and freight forwarders can also carry filing responsibility depending on house-level vs master-level data.

Q3: How far in advance does ICS2 require filing?

Roughly 24 hours before loading for ocean freight, 2 hours before arrival for short sea, 1 hour before arrival for road, and a two-stage pre-loading/pre-arrival process for air.

Q4: What happens if I don't file the ENS on time?

Shipments risk being held, delayed, or refused loading or entry.

Q5: Does ICS2 apply to transit shipments not ending in the EU?

Yes, transiting via any EU country triggers the ICS2 requirement.