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Customs; online declaration of the dispatch of commercial goods via the Union transit procedure

If you conduct customs-relevant trade in the EU and want to use the Union transit procedure, you must participate in the automated customs clearance system ATLAS and declare your goods shipment to customs. You can use a customs internet platform for this purpose.

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Generalzolldirektion Direktion II - Zentrale Auskunft Zoll

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Procedure details

In order to process commercial goods traffic with non-EU countries in a largely automated manner, the customs administration has introduced the IT procedure ATLAS (Automated Tariff and Local Customs Clearance System) throughout Germany. ATLAS is used to process and monitor the cross-border movement of goods.

In the Union transit procedure, goods can be transported between 2 locations within the customs territory of the Union under customs supervision without being subject to import duties during the transit procedure.

To make it easier for you to transfer your goods to the Union transit procedure via ATLAS, German Customs has set up an Internet platform. With this, you can deposit the data of your customs declaration and transmit it to the customs administration.

However, you must bear in mind: Your customs declaration only becomes legally effective when you have printed and signed it - in addition to the internet transit declaration - and presented it to the responsible customs office.

You or your company must

  • be an economic operator within the meaning of customs law. This means that you are involved in activities that fall under customs law within the scope of your business activities;
  • have active access to the IT procedure "ATLAS Versand" or have commissioned a service provider to do so.

  • Required Documents
    • Participant identification number (TIN)

    Please enquire at your responsible main customs office whether you need to submit further documents.

To declare the shipment of your merchandise to customs online via the Union transit procedure, proceed as follows:

  • Access the customs internet platform for the ATLAS internet transit declaration, follow the instructions and fill out the form completely.
  • Click on "Complete IVA". You will receive the order number as confirmation of the successful transmission of your Internet transit declaration data.
  • Print the Internet Shipping Application in duplicate and sign it.
  • Present the signed Internet transit declaration and the order number to the responsible customs office of departure. Only the signed IVA printout is a written transit declaration and must be accepted by the customs office.
  • Keep the documents required for placing the goods under the transit procedure at hand for any subsequent customs inspections.

There are no costs for you.

You must submit the printed and signed Internet transit declaration to the relevant customs office within 30 days.

Your Internet shipping application will be processed as quickly as possible.

No remedies are provided for this benefit.

Status: 31.10.2023
Editorially responsible for prodecure description: Bundesministerium der Finanzen
Source: Federal Portal