Declaration header

Under “Declaration header”, provide the basic information, delivery terms, transport information, locations and other necessary information concerning the whole consignment.

Basic information

Provide here the required basic information. Read the detailed guidance below.

Trader reference, additional trader reference and unique consignment reference (UCR)

The trader reference specifies the customs declaration and it is a free-form reference issued by the declarant. The reference can contain no more than 22 characters, and it can consist of numbers, letters or special characters. Under “Additional trader reference”, you can provide some other reference, e.g. the representative’s own reference number.

The field “Unique consignment reference (UCR)” can usually be left blank. Complete the field only if the consignor has issued a UCR (Unique Consignment Reference), which remains the same throughout the supply chain. It can be a WCO (ISO 15459) code or some other similar code. 

Declaration type

The declaration type is filled in automatically based on your earlier choices. In tax border declarations, the declaration type is always “CO – Union goods in the context of trade between parts of the customs territory of the Union”. The declaration type can’t be changed. If the declaration type is incorrect, you’ll have to start lodging the declaration all over again.

Additional declaration type

In tax border declarations, provide one of the following as the additional declaration type:

• “A – Standard customs declaration”
• ”D – Pre-lodged standard customs declaration”
• “R – Retrospective customs declaration”

If you are importing grid electricity from Sweden to Åland, provide “A – Standard customs declaration” as the additional declaration type.

Tax determination date

When you are lodging a tax border declaration for goods imported from another EU country, only provide the tax determination date in the case of a retrospective or pre-lodged declaration. If you are lodging a retrospective declaration, provide the arrival date of the goods. If you are lodging a pre-lodged declaration, provide the estimated time of arrival of the goods.

If you use the two-stage periodic declaration procedure, leave the field “Tax determination date” blank in the periodic declaration. Provide the tax determination date later under “Additional information” using the code ”FITEJ – Import across the EU tax border, periodic declaration”. As the description provide the period, i.e. month, for which the declaration is lodged (mm/yyyy).  

Total amount invoiced and invoice currency

The value of the goods must always be provided at goods item level. Providing the total value of all the goods (total amount invoiced) is optional.

Providing the price for each goods item is sufficient.
Provide the currency codes for the transaction price as well as for any costs to be added or deducted.

If you want to provide the total amount invoiced for the goods items, provide the invoice currency as well. If the total amount has been invoiced in several currencies, provide euro (EUR) as the invoice currency and provide the total amount invoiced in euros using the conversion rates confirmed by Customs. The price must be provided with no more than two decimals.

If you don’t find the currency you need in drop-down menu, request the conversion rate from Customs Information. You should convert the transaction price into euros using the conversion rate you received from Customs. Enter the transaction price in euros. In addition, at goods item level, provide the currency conversion rate you received with the additional information code “FIKUR” and as its description the conversion rate and the currency code (i.e. “19.14 MDL”).

Total gross mass

The gross mass can be provided as a total for the whole consignment or separately for each goods item.

The gross mass is provided in kilograms and it is the weight of the goods including packaging but excluding the means of transport and containers. If the gross mass is below 1 kg, enter the value e.g. in the format ‘0,654’, but with no more than 6 decimals. If the weight exceeds 1 kg, you can round it off to the closest full kilogram.

Providing the weight of pallets: If the weight of pallets is included in the weight of the goods indicated in the transport documents, you can include it in the total gross mass. However, if the weight of the pallets has been indicated separately in the transport document, don’t include it in the total gross mass.

If you are declaring imported grid electricity, provide 1 kg as the net mass.

Nature of transaction

From the drop-down menu, select the code that describes the import transaction . You can use the search function or browse the drop-down menu by clicking on the field “Nature of transaction”.

Delivery terms

From the drop-down menu, select the INCOTERM code, that is, the delivery terms that determine, for example, the division of responsibilities between the seller and the buyer. The delivery terms are agreed on for example in the sales contract. The menu will be displayed when you click on the field “INCOTERM code”. If you are not using the Incoterms published by the ICC (International Chamber of Commerce), select the code “XXX – other delivery terms”.

Provide the location either in the field “Location (UN/LOCODE)” or “Location”. In the field “Location”, provide the name or the location or terminal specified in the terms of delivery. UN/LOCODE is not normally provided as the terms of delivery location.  UN/LOCODE is the United Nations Code for Trade and Transport Locations. From the dropdown menu, select the code of the country of destination according to the location specified in the terms of delivery.

Transport information

Under “Transport information” provide the required details of the mode of transport at the border and on arrival. Read the detailed guidance below.

Mode of transport at the border

In the field “Mode of transport at the border”, select the mode of transport from the drop-down menu based on the means of transport that carries the goods across the tax border. As the method of transport, select the active means of transport, that is, the means of transport which propels the whole combination. For example, if a lorry has been loaded onto a seagoing vessel, provide the seagoing vessel.

In the field “Nationality of active means of transport crossing the border”, select the nationality of the means of transport from the drop-down menu Provide the nationality of the means of transport as it is indicated in the information you have. Provide the nationality in the case of sea, air or road transport or inland waterway transport or a means of transport with own propulsion. You can use the search function or browse the drop-down menu by clicking on the field “Nationality of active means of transport crossing the border” or use the search function”.

Arrival transport means

In the field “Inland transport mode”, enter the mode of transport code according to the means of transport that carries the goods to their location.

In the field “Identification of means of transport on arrival”, provide the identification of the means of transport on which the goods are loaded when they arrive at their location. The identification is provided if the goods are carried by mail or by a fixed transport installation. For road transports, enter the vehicle registration number. If a tractor unit and trailer is used, provide identification for both of these (format “the registration number of the tractor unit / the registration number of the trailer”, e.g. ABC-123 / AB-1234). For sea transports, provide the name or the IMO number of the vessel. For air transports, provide the flight number and date (if the flight number is not known, provide the aircraft registration number). For rail transports, provide the numbers of the wagons.

If you provided the inland transport mode, select the type of identification of the means of transport, e.g. “11 – name of the sea-going vessel”.

Route

Under “Dispatch”, provide the original country of dispatch. You can find the code for the country of dispatch from the dropdown menu by typing the beginning of the country name or code in the field or by using the search function. 
The service automatically fills in the country of destination according to the country of destination you provided when you selected the declaration type for a new declaration. In tax border declarations, the country of destination is always Finland, and it can’t be changed.

Locations 

Under “Locations”, provide either the identification of warehouse or the address details of the goods location. Read the detailed guidance below.

Warehouse or temporary storage

If the goods are in a customs warehouse or in a temporary storage facility when the declaration is submitted, provide the warehouse in whose records the goods have been entered as the location. Provide the identification of warehouse under “Warehouse or temporary storage”. The identification of warehouse is the EORI number with code extensions (e.g. FI1234567-800101).

Proposed control location

Under ”Proposed control location”, enter the location where you wish for Customs to inspect the goods. The proposed control location must be suitable for the inspection. It can, for example, be a location where the goods can be unpacked.

Under “Type of location”, select the type of control location from the drop-down menu.

If you propose e.g. your own warehouse or the customs office of entry as the control location, select “D – Other” as the type of location. The service will then automatically fill in “Z – Street address” as the qualifier of location. If the goods e.g. arrive in Åland via Långnäs and you propose Mariehamn Customs as possible control location, provide the street address of Mariehamn Customs. The type “D – Other” can also be used in force majeure situations. Select “FI” as the country code.

If you are lodging a periodic declaration of a VAT-registered importer, provide as the proposed control location the importer’s own premises where the goods were received.

If you propose a temporary storage facility or a customs warehouse as the control location, select “B – authorised place” as the type of location and “X – identification of warehouse (EORI number with extensions)” as the qualifier of location. After that, you should complete the field “Identification of warehouse”. Provide the warehouse ID, which has the form FI1234567-800101. Leave the field “Additional identifier” blank.

In a tax border declaration, “A – Designated location” or “C – Approved place” can’t be selected as the type of location.

Goods location

If the goods are not in a warehouse, provide the address details of the location under “Goods location”.For example, if the goods are at the customs office of entry when the declaration is submitted, provide the address details of the customs office of entry. Select “FI” as the country code.

If you are lodging a periodic declaration of a VAT-registered importer, provide as the goods location the address where the importer received the goods.

Additional information

If needed, provide one or more than one header level additional information code under “Additional information”. The service will automatically fill in the additional information code “FIPDF”.This means that the service generates a PDF document in the prescribed form, and you can retrieve it later from the e-service. Don’t remove this information if you need e.g. a decision on release to be presented to the transport company or the warehouse keeper. 

If you need to provide other additional information, you can add it by clicking on “+Add information”. From the drop-down menu, select the code needed in the declaration. If needed, provide the description of the additional information code in the field “Description”.

If you don’t know the final transaction price of the goods when you are lodging the tax border declaration, provide “FITPA – Import across the national tax border, the data is based on estimates” at declaration header level.

If you haven’t given your consent for electronic notice, there is the additional information code “FINCO – The customer does not consent to receiving electronic notifications” in the additional information at declaration header level.

However, if you wish to make changes to the consent, that is, if you nevertheless want to receive electronic notifications from Customs by email, edit the consent details in the user settings. For detailed guidance on making changes to the consent details, Settings – Customs instructions.

If you are lodging a periodic declaration of a VAT-registered importer, provide the additional information code “FITEJ – Import across the EU tax border, periodic declaration”. As the description, provide the period, i.e. month, for which the declaration is lodged (mm/yyyy).

If you are importing grid electricity from Sweden to Åland, provide “FIXXX” as the additional information code and specify the declaration period as the description as follows: ”Declaration of electricity mm/yyyy”.

If the total amount invoiced to be provided at goods item level is not known when you are lodging the declaration and you provide this detail as an estimate provide the additional information code “FITPA”, indicating import to Åland and the data being based on an estimate.

If you have added an additional information code row by mistake, remove it by ticking the box next to the “Code” column and clicking on the button “Remove selected” above the rows.

Additional documents

Provide here the additional documents concerning the whole declaration. The invoice or other similar document must always be provided in the import declaration. If there are other additional documents that concern the goods and that shall be declared to Customs, provide them too.

If you are lodging a periodic declaration for a calendar month, provide the numbers of the invoices for the imports during the period, the transport document numbers or some other document for identification of the goods.

Add a document by clicking on “+Add document”. From the dropdown menu, select the type of additional document and provide the identifier, such as the number of the additional document or other identifier.

You don’t need to upload the document as an attachment, unless Customs specifically asks for it. You can upload an attachment by clicking on “Upload file”. The supported attachment file types are PDF, JPG, PNG and TIF. The maximum attachment size is 5 MB. If you upload a document as an attachment, the service will automatically fill in the field “Attachment reference”.

You can, if necessary, add documents by clicking on “+Add document”. If you have added a document row by mistake, remove it by ticking the box next to the “Type” column and clicking on the button “Remove selected” above the rows. 

Containers

The container details can be provided either at header level here or at goods item level under “Goods items”.

Click on ”+ Add container” and provide the container ID. If the declaration involves several containers, you can add new containers by clicking on “+Add container”.

The identification of a sea container is provided using four letters + six digits + hyphen + check digit. If you are lodging a supplementary periodic declaration, provide the same detail as in the previous document.