7.5.2009

Road Traffic Operators between Finland and Russia

Changes to electronic TIR transit declarations regarding road traffic between Finland and Russia entering into force on 1 July 2009

EU customs legislation was amended in February 2009 so that the provision of security data in a separate entry or exit summary declaration for goods entering or leaving the EU will not be mandatory until 1 January 2011. Provision of security data in a transit declaration for goods leaving the EU will also not be mandatory before 1 January 2011. Consequently, the biggest changes to customs clearance of road cargoes between Finland and Russia that will take effect on 1 July 2009 will concern the data requirements for electronic transit declarations.
As of 1 January 2009, the monitoring of TIR movements in the EU has been carried out via the electronic transit system. In addition to TIR Carnets, transport operators acting as principals or their agents have also lodged electronic declarations with Customs. As of 1 July 2009, traders must provide new data in an electronic transit declaration regarding the EORI numbers of the transport operators acting as principals and the previous customs procedures.

EORI number
EORI is a new EU-wide database on economic operators that will be introduced on 1 July 2009. All transport operators acting as principals who submit transit declarations electronically via the Customs transit system for goods moving in the EU are required to provide their EORI number. This requirement also applies to transport operators established outside the EU. A transport operator acting as a principal needs to register for EORI in one EU Member State only. The EORI number will be used in electronic transit declarations throughout the EU. Data on businesses registered for EORI will be available on the Commission’s website.

Registration for EORI
Registration procedures vary in different EU countries. In Finland, an EORI number can be obtained by submitting an application form to Finnish Customs, or the registration will be made when a trader lodges an electronic transit declaration. The registration procedure will commence in May 2009. An EORI number can be granted on the basis of an electronic transit declaration as of 1 July 2009. Businesses established in Finland and registered by Customs will be automatically allocated their business IDs as their EORI numbers without having to apply for them.

Application for EORI
Finnish Customs recommends applying for EORI in advance. The application form and guidance on registration will be published on the Customs website in May 2009 (www.tulli.fi/en > Businesses). The applications will be processed within a few days. A registration notification detailing the allocated EORI number will be sent to the applicant by post or email.

Registration when an electronic transit declaration is presented
As of 1 July 2009, an ad hoc EORI number will be automatically assigned at the time of processing an electronic transit declaration if the principal’s EORI number is not provided in the electronic transit declaration. The transport operator will not be notified of the EORI number at this stage. The final EORI
number will be later communicated to the transport operator acting as a principal by post or by email. Registration for EORI at the time of presenting an electronic transit

Identification numbers to be provided when using the web transit program of Finnish Customs
Finnish Customs will update its present web transit program by late June. From 1 July 2009 transport operators acting as principals who have registered for EORI must enter in the “principal’s character” field a new code, R. The EORI number is provided in the “business ID / personal ID” field. Please see
the enclosed figure 1.
Providing the TIR Carnet Holder’s ID, which was not required earlier, will be mandatory as of 1 July 2009. When using the updated web transit program, this ID must be indicated in the new “TIR holder ID” field.

New mandatory data fields to the electronic transit declaration that are
also used in export declarations
When using the web transit program of Finnish Customs, the reference number (MRN) of an export declaration lodged electronically in an EU Member State must be provided in the “previous function number” field. In addition, as of 1 July 2009 a new field, additional information, must be completed on the “previous function” screen for EU export goods. This field must contain a code indicating whether all the goods declared in the export declaration or only a part of them will be placed under the transit procedure.
Please see the enclosed figure 2.

Provision of the EORI number on entry and exit declarations
The EORI number must also be entered in the entry and exit security data declarations that will be introduced in November-December 2009 and become mandatory on 1 January 2011. In these declarations, the EORI numbers are required of traders responsible for lodging the declarations.

Further information
If you have further questions, the Security Data Customer Project Team can be
contacted by email: turvatiedot(at)tulli.fi.