Explained simply by CLS: ICS2 in general, and for postal operators in particular – Part2

Customs pre-arrival #security and #safetymeasures protect #international #supplychains and #transport modes, people and businesses, from #security and safety #risks posed by goods entering the respective #customs territories. 

These #measures use electronic advance data (#EAD) and are regulated in many regions, such as the USA, Canada and the UK. #EU customs authorities incorporate Pre-Loading Advance Cargo Information (#PLACI) in their national #riskmanagement and #assessment system – the Import Control System 2, or #ICS2.  

ICS2 became mandatory in the EU on 15 March 2021. The first ICS2 release was limited to air #transport, and required only a minimum #ENS (Entry Summary Declaration) #dataset (7+1 PLACI data elements) to be submitted in advance to customs in the country of entry into the EU. Release 1 focuses on pre-loading risk management, with EAD checked prior to onboarding and the option to deny loading based on the #riskassessment.

𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 (𝗗𝗢) 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮-𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲
In 2021, the Universal Postal Union (#UPU) made EAD mandatory for its 192 member countries and their #DOs; 186 member countries and their DOs were already capable of exchanging EAD that same year.
The main dataset exchanged between DOs is called #ITMATT and contains all the relevant data elements required for ICS2/PLACI at #consignment level. 

With the required #data already available, the #challenge for the DOs was to transmit this data to the respective customs #authorities in the correct format in advance.

𝗜𝗖𝗦𝟮 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝟮 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝟭 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯; 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱
The second phase of ICS2 retains the restriction on air transport but adds pre-arrival risk assessment to the pre-loading risk assessment introduced in phase 1. #Freight forwarders, #couriers, #express and
#parcel, or ETOE operators will all have to file a (partial) entry summary #declaration before the plane has landed, either themselves or via the air #carrier who files the declaration on their behalf. The data needed for the declaration is already available within the UPU #IT #infrastructure.

Release 3 (1 March 2024), the final release, will require a #submission of a complete #ENS #dataset, and will be mandatory for all #transport modes, including sea/road/rail.