Release for free circulation is often preceded by a transit procedure, one of the special procedures defined in the UCC. On importation, you may use this procedure to transport non-Union goods from the border of the customs territory of the EU, with duty unpaid but under customs supervision, to their destination in the customs territory of the EU. Release for free circulation or placing under another customs procedure takes place only after the goods have arrived at the place of destination. In this way, the border customs offices are relieved and the activities around the import of the goods are shifted to the immediate vicinity of the importers.
In this training, we look at the Union transit procedure, that is, the customs procedure defined in the UCC. There is also the common transit procedure, laid down in an agreement between the EU and the EFTA countries (Iceland, Norway, Switzerland with Liechtenstein). In this procedure, goods are transported between places in the customs territory of the EU and places in EFTA countries. Since 1 January 2021, the United Kingdom has been participating in the common transit procedure as a third country.
Trustworthy companies can be approved as authorized consignees by the customs authorities. The authorized consignee usually receives the goods on company premises and notifies receipt to the customs office of destination. When granted unloading permission, the authorized consignee is entitled to remove the customs seals affixed to the vehicle or to the package to examine the goods.
The transit procedure is carried out electronically within the framework of the New Computerized Transit System (NCTS). The NCTS was jointly developed by the participating states under the leadership of the European Commission. However, the technical implementation took place in the respective IT systems of the national customs administrations.
Authorized consignees are required to discharge the transit procedure in the NCTS. The consignee sends an electronic arrival notification to inform the customs office of destination that the consignment has been received. Usually, the customs office of destination automatically issues an unloading permission to the consignee. Only then is the consignee allowed to remove the seals to check the consignment for identity of the goods actually transported with the goods described in the transit declaration. The consignee notifies the customs office of destination in an unloading comment that the unloading and examination have been completed.
Once the transit procedure has been completed, the goods are held in temporary storage until they are placed under a customs procedure.