NEWS

03/23

ICS2 Release 2 – DEPLOYMENT WINDOW precisions from DG TAXUD

ICS2 Release 2 official “Go Live” was on 1st March 2023. However, the EU’s customs authorities, DG TAXUD, allowed the possibility of requesting a Deployment Window or in other words, an additional a period of time that Economic Operators (EOs) (essentially carriers at the moment) may need to implement Release 2 functionalities. The date for requests, initially indicated as 1st February 2023, was extended to 1st March 2023.

However, it seems that low number of requests processed by Member States so far, and the complications of many Member States not yet fully operational at this stage (including 12 who have obtained legal derogations until 30th June 2023) have led to DG TAXUD announcing on Tuesday, 28th February 2023, the following additional clarifications concerning the Deployment Window requests to be made.

For air carriers operating direct flights from non-EU countries only into the MS in which their EORI is registered:

• Can commence ICS2 Release 2 on 1st March 2023, if connected and ready
• Otherwise, request a Deployment Window in that MS to connect sometime between 1st March and 1st July 2023, when ready.

For air carriers operating direct flights from non-EU countries into one or several MS already connected to ICS2 R2:

• Can commence ICS2 Release 2 on 1st March 2023, if connected and ready
• Otherwise, request a Deployment Window in their MS of registration to connect sometime between 1st March and 1st July 2023, when ready.

For air carriers operating direct flights from non-EU countries into multiple MSs of which at least one or even all are subject to derogation:

• It is strongly recommended that these air carriers request for a Deployment Window from the MS of EORI registration up to the date when all affected MSs are connected to ICS2 R2, but at the latest until 1st July 2023.
  
  
• Important: EOs need to request a Deployment Window even if their Member State of registration has been granted a derogation

Air carriers which have been granted Deployment Windows must continue submitting ENS declarations to the ICS1 systems during their Deployment Windows.

Member States subject to derogation
AT, BE, DK, EE, FR, GR, HR, LU, NL, PL, RO, SE

If you are an air carrier and have not yet requested your Deployment Window, contact our team immediately and we’ll help you through the process as quickly as possible.

For Economic Operators other than air carriers (freight forwarders, for example), it is also possible to benefit from a Deployment Window as a “House-level filer”. The period begins on 1st July and runs to 2nd October 2023.  Contact us for more information.

Start preparing now with SAFE via conex™