Customs Single Window (SW)/CERTEX

Number: Ref: 47/2022

Subject: Customs Single Window (SW)/CERTEX 

Who should read: Importers of goods subject to a Common Health Entry Document (CHED) or Certificate of Inspection for Organic Conformity (COI)

Related Notification: eCustoms Helpdesk Notification Ref: 21/2022, Ref: 39/2022, Ref: 45/2022 

Issued by: eCustoms Helpdesk

Issue Date: 5 December 2022

The Customs Single Window/CERTEX is a joint EU Commission/ Member States project to move the handling and management of CHEDs and COIs to an automated environment supporting the electronic communication between the Customs Import Declaration system and the EUs TRACES system. The project will cover all CHEDs & COIs and will involve a two-step validation process. The first is at submission of the declaration where validation is done on the cert reference number. The second validation is done at presentation of the goods and involves a cross referencing of the Combined Nomenclature (CN) code and the quantity amount between the import declaration and the cert. Having engaged intensively with trade we decided to implement the project on a phased basis to facilitate trade and to ensure minimum negative impact on the flow of goods into Ireland. In Phase 1, which went live on 19 October last, we implemented a new business rule into our Import Declaration System (AIS). This requires declarants to declare the CHED or COI certs at goods shipment item level – eCustoms Helpdesk Notification Ref: 39/2022 refers.Following release of Phase 1, we have carried out analysis of impacted import declarations. That analysis indicates a significant level of data mismatches between quantities declared on import declarations and quantities declared on the relevant CHED or COI. We have shared this data with Trade, who have indicated that changes to their procedures and practices will be required in some cases to make Quantity Management work. Quantity mismatches may cause significant delays in the release of goods from customs control.Based on this analysis and trader engagement, and given the potential negative impact on trade
flows at the point of presentation of the goods into Ireland, we have decided to divide full
implementation into two further phases.
In Phase 2 we will go live with the certificate number validation piece for all CHED and COI
certificates at the time of submission of the declaration. This phase will go live on 11 January 2023.
From this date, where a declaration is submitted with an invalid cert reference number, the
declaration will be rejected. We will incorporate all CHEDs and COIs into our validation check of the
cert reference number at the time of submission of the declaration.We will then carry out further analysis of these newly impacted import declarations/declarants and
engage further with trade. Based on the outcome of this engagement, and to facilitate trade in
implementing any required changes to procedures/systems to correctly complete their customs
declarations, we will determine a date for implementation of the final phase of the project which
will introduce the CN code check and the quantity management check. The legal deadline for
implementation is 1 March 2023 and so our go live date will be prior to that date.

Further information

If you need further information, please contact any of the following:
eCustoms Helpdesk: ecustoms@revenue.ie

DAFM: importcontrols@agriculture.gov.ie

HSE: importcontroldublin@hse.ie and
importcontrolrosslare@hse.ie