The mandatory ENS declaration EU is now a binding requirement for carriers importing goods into most EU Member States, including France.
Although several EU countries postponed full enforcement until May, France is not one of them. As a result, movements on the France–United Kingdom corridor already fall under the full ENS obligation.

In theory, the rules are clear. In practice, the situation at the FR–GB border still raises questions for many carriers.

What does the mandatory ENS declaration EU mean in practice?

ENS (Entry Summary Declaration) is a security declaration submitted via the ICS2 system, providing EU customs authorities with advance cargo data before goods enter the EU customs territory.

If you want a broader overview of the current ICS2 rollout across the EU, see our article:
👉 https://simpleduty.co.uk/ics2-implementation-status-in-the-eu-2025/

For EU imports:

  • the mandatory ENS declaration EU applies to cargo movements,
  • the declaration must be lodged prior to arrival at the EU border,
  • the carrier is legally responsible for submitting the ENS.

This responsibility is frequently misunderstood and incorrectly attributed to the importer or exporter.

France–United Kingdom border: rules versus operational reality

At Smart Border crossings such as Calais–Dover, there is still a visible gap between regulatory requirements and day-to-day practice.

Operational experience shows that:

  • ENS submissions are not yet systematically verified at the French border,
  • some carriers continue to operate without ENS, knowingly or not,
  • border traffic continues to flow despite missing declarations.

This situation should be treated as temporary and not as an indication that the obligation does not apply.

Carrier responsibility and financial exposure

It is important to state clearly:

  • missing ENS does not create liability for importers or exporters,
  • the carrier bears full legal responsibility,
  • penalties for non-compliance may reach up to EUR 3,000.

Enforcement may also occur retroactively, once system-level controls are fully activated.

ELO – the upcoming standard on the EU side

Alongside the mandatory ENS declaration EU, the Logistics Envelope (ELO) is being introduced as the EU equivalent of the UK GMR.
Official information on ELO and its role in RoRo trade with the UK is available on the French customs website:
👉 https://www.douane.gouv.fr/fiche/obligatory-logistics-envelope-elo-key-transition-roro-trade-united-kingdom

Current status:

  • ELO is not yet mandatory,
  • compulsory use is planned for Q1 2026,
  • for EU imports, an ELO will have to contain at least one ENS reference,
  • ELO will group EU import, transit and ENS declarations into a single envelope.

This means that without a valid ENS, it will not be technically possible to create an ELO for EU-bound movements under the future Smart Border model.

How the Smart Border model will operate

Movements from France to the United Kingdom

Carriers will present:

  • ELO – covering EU export and transit declarations,
  • GMR – covering UK import, transit and ENS requirements.

Movements from the United Kingdom to France

Carriers will present:

  • GMR – covering UK export declarations,
  • ELO – covering EU import, transit and ENS declarations.

This model will apply regardless of whether the vehicle is loaded or empty.

Automated compliance with the mandatory ENS declaration EU

To support carriers operating on the FR–GB route, we provide solutions enabling:

  • automated ENS submissions for both EU and UK movements,
  • consolidation of multiple consignments into a single ELO,
  • creation of one GMR per vehicle,
  • a fully automated, transparent workflow without manual duplication of data.

This approach:

  • significantly reduces administrative costs,
  • limits compliance risk,
  • prepares carriers for full Smart Border enforcement.

📩 Need support with ENS, ELO or GMR?

If you are looking for:

  • automated handling of the mandatory ENS declaration EU,
  • efficient use of ELO and GMR,
  • practical preparation for upcoming border controls,

📧 contact us at:
simpleduty@simpleduty.co.uk

We will be happy to show how to simplify compliance on the France–UK border while keeping operations efficient and cost-effective.