Revenue has issued customs guidance for hauliers and truck drivers who are moving between Ireland and the island of Britain, following the UK’s formal exit from the EU with a deal.
The advice relates to two key points: creating a correct pre-boarding notification (PBN); and checking your customs channel prior to disembarking.
Revenue says that following the advice – which it issued yesterday (Tuesday, January 5) – will ensure that vehicles carrying goods to and from Great Britain will be able to board their scheduled ferry without difficulties, and will also mean truck drivers can present goods for customs controls, if any, on arrival with minimum delay.
Revenue had put in place a temporary arrangement that allowed for the creation of a PBN for goods movements that began before the end of the transitions period (December 31) and arrived at their destination after that date. That arrangement lapsed as of yesterday evening.
Customs channel
Drivers travelling on ferries from Great Britain to Ireland are reminded to check their customs channel on the Revenue website 30 minutes out from arriving into Dublin or Rosslare ports.
The customs channel will not be available before that as Revenue’s risk analysis process will be running while the ship is travelling.
The online service provides a number of trade facilitation services that are aimed at minimising delays, in so far as possible, for goods coming into, and moving out of, Irish ports and involving Great Britain. The channel look-up service enables truck drivers to check if their vehicle can ‘Exit the Port’ or are required to ‘Call to Customs’ on arrival.
The two key things for truck drivers to keep in mind to ensure they can access their customs channel are:
- Have the pre-boarding notification identification number (PBN ID) for the vehicle or trailer;
- Check the customs channel no earlier than 30 minutes prior to disembarking.
Tom Talbot, head of customs at Dublin port, explained: “While a ferry is sailing to Ireland, Revenue systems complete the necessary risk analysis of the particular goods on board. This means that, in advance of arrival, Revenue can notify the outcome of that risk analysis to the driver by providing a customs channel of either ‘Exit the Port’ or ‘Call to Customs’.
“A customs channel of ‘Exit the Port’ means the truck driver can immediately leave the port on arrival. If a driver gets a ‘Call to Customs’ channel this will be accompanied by details of which customs terminal to go to in the port,” Talbot added.
Revenue has made instructions and guidance in relation to this matter available in 11 different languages.