Customs Clearance – Simplified Customs Process

During registration, you will provide a contact email address. We will use this address for service-related communications and status notifications. You can update the notification email address at any time in your company profile.

Registration is a one-time setup process. We will request a Power of Attorney and other company-related documents required to provide customs clearance services. Your registration will be approved once all required documents have been received and successfully verified.

Registration is a one-time setup process. We will request a Power of Attorney and other company-related documents required to provide customs clearance services. Your registration will be approved once all required documents have been received and successfully verified.

Yes. You can submit a customs declaration request before your registration has been completed. However, we can only begin processing the request once your registration has been approved.

During the registration process, our customs broker verifies your Power of Attorney and the information required to complete customs formalities on your behalf. If information or documents are missing, we will contact you using the notification email address provided.

You can update your notification email address in your company profile. Notification email addresses are managed separately for each registered country.

EORI stands for Economic Operators Registration and Identification. It is an identification number used by businesses and individuals when exchanging information with customs authorities in the European Union.

You can apply for an EORI number through the relevant national customs authority. Please refer to the official EORI information page of the applicable customs authority for application requirements and supporting documents.

A Power of Attorney (PoA), sometimes referred to as a Letter of Attorney, is a written authorisation that allows another party to act on your behalf. For customs clearance, it authorises the customs broker to represent your company in customs matters.

A deferment account allows import duties and import VAT to be deferred in accordance with the rules of the relevant customs authority. Requirements, guarantees, and payment terms may vary by country.

Our service currently supports direct representation only. A valid deferment account may therefore be required to use the customs clearance service. Please check the requirements applicable in your country.

Please contact the relevant customs authority for information on how to apply for a deferment account. Depending on the country, you may need to provide a financial guarantee from an approved guarantor.

Under direct representation, the customs representative acts in the name and on behalf of the importer or exporter.

Fiscal representation is an arrangement under which a locally established representative manages VAT-related obligations on behalf of a foreign company. Availability and requirements depend on the applicable country and tax regulations.

An export declaration request must be submitted no later than the departure date from the first port of loading. Once the vessel has departed, an export declaration request can no longer be submitted.

An import declaration request must be submitted within 20 days of the vessel’s arrival at the last port of discharge. Important: Please ensure that all information and documents are complete and accurate. The applicable terms and conditions govern the responsibilities and liabilities of all parties involved in the process.

Required documents depend on the customs authority, the country, and the type of declaration. During the submission process, the online tool will display the documents required for your specific request.

An HS code is a product classification code based on the Harmonized System . It is used internationally to classify goods traded across borders. Depending on the country, further classifications — such as TARIC codes in the European Union — may also apply.

Customs authorities use HS codes to determine whether restrictions, licences, prohibitions, or other regulatory requirements apply to the goods. For imports, the HS code also helps determine the applicable customs duty rate.

An estimated price is displayed when you submit your customs declaration request. The final price may vary, for example depending on the number of HS codes or the complexity of the declaration.

You will receive an invoice for the relevant shipment after the customs formalities have been completed.

After you submit your request, we review it for completeness andaccuracy.

• If all required information is available, the status changes to Ready for customs submission.
• If information or documents are missing or incorrect, the request is returned to you and its status changes to Open. You will receive a comment explaining what needs to be updated.
• Once the request is complete, we submit the customs declaration to the customs authority. When the customs authority releases the shipment, you will receive a customs release notification.

You will receive notifications throughout the process. You can also view the current status and further details in the declaration overview in the online tool.

The status Open means that information or documents are missing, incomplete, or require correction. Please review the comment provided, update your request, and resubmit it for review.

You will receive a notification when the status of your declaration changes. You can also track the clearance status and review declaration details in the online tool.

The customs authority may select a shipment for inspection. This mayinclude:

• Documentary inspection: The customs officer reviews the submitted documents and compares them with the declaration.
• Physical inspection: The customs officer checks whether the goods correspond to the documents and declaration.
• Scanning: The container is scanned to help identify prohibited or undeclared goods.

A customs inspection may affect the clearance timeline.

The most common causes of delay are missing or incorrect information or documents, such as HS codes, commercial invoices, packing lists, or proof of preferential origin. Customs inspections, including documentary checks, physical inspections, or container scans, may also delay clearance.

Hapag-Lloyd AG, its subsidiaries, and authorised agents handle personal and business data responsibly and in accordance with applicable data-protectionrequirements.

For further information, please refer to the Commitment on Data Protection and Security and the Hapag-Lloyd Privacy Terms.