TSS Bulletin 221st Edition

Published: 18 June 2026|

Contents

This fortnight’s bulletin begins with several key updates, followed by our themed focus: mastering your goods movements.

Advanced warning of TSS Portal outage

Please note that the planned TSS Portal outage date has been updated.

The outage is now scheduled for Sunday 12 July 2026. There will be an update to the Trader Support Service (TSS) Portal which will require a short downtime. This outage is currently planned to happen on 12 July from 5pm to 10pm. Further information on the update will be published in the next TSS Bulletin.

CERTEX: New guide on declaring licensed goods for movements into Northern Ireland now available

If you move goods that require a licence, such as live animals, plants, products of animal origin or fluorinated gases, a new practical guide is now available.

It explains how to declare these goods using TSS.

The guide, ‘How to Declare Licensed Goods for Movements into Northern Ireland’, focuses on the Certificate Exchange System (CERTEX), which checks licence and certificate data on declarations for Northern Ireland (NI) movements. This includes declarations created using systems such as TRACES NT.

The guide highlights how to enter licence data correctly, including formats, common errors and the key checks traders and their agents should follow when moving goods subject to licence certification.

The guide includes step-by-step instructions on completing declarations, covering:

  • references
  • quantities
  • commodity codes
  • units of measurement
  • document status codes

It also explains common CERTEX error messages, what they mean, why they occur and how to fix them.

UKIMS movements incurring incorrect additional duties

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is aware that there is an ongoing issue concerning certain food/agricultural goods and fertilisers moving into NI, where ‘at risk’ tariffs are being calculated and applied on goods subject to Council Regulation (EU) 2025/1227.

This measure should only apply to goods when they are exported, directly or indirectly, from the Russian Federation or Belarus. However, even when this isn’t the case, the European Union (EU) measure is currently being triggered in the Customs Declaration Service (CDS), resulting in an additional duty rate and an ‘at risk’ duty outcome.

If you think your goods movement has incurred incorrect duty calculations, or would incur incorrect duties on submission, please contact TSS immediately for advice and support on how best to proceed.

Now that you’re up to date, explore our themed articles below to help you master your goods movements.

Choosing the right journey type: your options in TSS

Choosing the right movement journey type in TSS is important because different movements may need to satisfy different requirements. The option you can use depends on factors such as whether the goods you are moving are ‘not at risk’, what authorisations you may hold and what information is available before the goods move. Choosing the right option helps keep things simple, avoids delays and keeps your movement on track.

Before moving goods, ensure you:

  • Have the required authorisations in place
  • Confirm the goods are eligible for the chosen movement option. For example, you will not be able to use the simplified processes for Internal Market Movements option if your goods are ‘at risk’ of moving to the EU
  • Have the correct information ready

Choose from the options available in TSS as explained below.

The TSS Simplified Procedure

The TSS Simplified Procedure applies for most movement types, for instance, where Internal Market Movement Information (IMMI) is not suitable, and is the most common journey type used on TSS.

This allows you to:

  • Submit a simplified declaration before the goods move
  • Provide full details later in a Supplementary Declaration

TSS automatically uses simplified declaration data for both the required Entry Summary Declaration and customs (Entry in Declarant’s Records (EIDR)/Simplified Frontier Declaration) submissions.

Details about the TSS Simplified Procedure, including links to step-by-step guidance, can be found on TSS Simplified Procedure for goods movements from Great Britain to Northern Ireland on NICTA.

Internal Market Movement Information (IMMI)

IMMI can be used under the simplified processes, where you hold authorisation to use the UK Internal Market Scheme (UKIMS) and the goods qualify as ‘not at risk’.

IMMI uses a reduced data set compared to a full customs declaration and offers two options depending on your circumstances:

  • Pre-movement IMMI – submitted before the goods move and you then have nothing to do after the movement
  • Post-movement IMMI – submitted after the goods arrive, when for instance the TSS Simplified Procedure has been used for pre-movement submissions

For further detail on selecting the correct option, see Internal Market Movements and Simplified processes for Internal Market Movements – Introduction Guide on NICTA and follow the step-by-step guidance.

Full Frontier Declaration

The  Full Frontier Declaration is used where a full customs process is required from the outset, such as where simplifications are not available, goods are moving from the Rest of the World (RoW) into NI, or when customs special procedures apply.

This means a full customs declaration must be submitted before the goods move, ensuring all regulatory and licensing requirements are met.

For further details on the process and step-by-step guidance, see Full Frontier Declarations on NICTA.

Entry Summary Declaration-only

The Entry Summary Declaration-only applies where the customs declaration is completed separately (inside or outside of TSS), and only safety and security data (ie, the Entry Summary Declaration) is completed within TSS. This involves submitting the minimum safety and security dataset to support the movement of goods, without creating a customs declaration in TSS.

This option is typically used where a third-party system or agent is responsible for the full customs declaration.

For further details on Entry Summary Declaration-only, see the ENS Step-by-step guide: Standard Process and Consignment First Process.

Remember, when moving goods to NI via a Roll‑on Roll‑off (RoRo) port, a Goods Movement Reference (GMR) is required using all the Movement Reference Numbers (MRNs) or EORI numbers provided by TSS. Where declarations are raised within TSS, the GMR can also be created directly in TSS as part of the movement process, or alternatively via the Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS).

For step‑by‑step guidance, see Creating a Goods Movement Reference (GMR) on the Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS) on NICTA.

‘At risk’ versus ‘not at risk’: A core concept refresher

If you’re moving goods from Great Britain (GB) to NI, one of the most important steps is determining whether your goods are ‘at risk’ of moving on to the EU.

In simple terms, ‘at risk’ means the goods could enter the EU market and therefore EU duty may be due.

‘Not at risk’ means the goods are staying in the UK internal market for sale or final use and will not be charged if entering NI from free circulation in GB or UK duty if entering NI from outside both the EU and the UK.

For information on ‘not at risk’, including requirements, see Moving goods you bring into Northern Ireland as ‘not at risk’ of moving to the EU on GOV.UK.

Why this matters

The ‘at risk’ vs ‘not at risk’ decision point is important because it drives the selection of the declaration option you can use in TSS and the way the declaration is completed accurately.

For details on which declaration option will apply best for the goods you move, refer to the Internal Market Movement section or the Other NI Movements section in Moving Goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland on NICTA.

Below are examples of ‘at risk’ and ‘not at risk’ movements.

‘At risk’ movement: You send a mixed load of electrical goods from Birmingham in GB to a distributor in NI, and part of the consignment may later be sold into the EU. That movement is likely to be considered ‘at risk’.

‘Not at risk’ movement: You send office chairs from Manchester to your own business premises in Belfast for final use in NI. If you hold a UKIMS authorisation, the goods may be declared ‘not at risk’.

If you do not yet have an authorisation and wish to apply, please refer to the UK Internal Market Scheme page on GOV.UK.

Identifying and moving controlled goods in the TSS Portal

If you move goods to NI, it is important to know whether they are controlled before you submit your declaration. Controlled goods will require extra information to be provided on your declaration in TSS, including licence or certificate details. The best practice checklist below will help you understand what to check and what action you may need to take.

Best practice checklist: controlled goods

  • Check if your goods are controlled: Use the Northern Ireland Online Tariff on GOV.UK to search your commodity code and review any import control measures, licences or certificates that may apply

Some examples of controlled goods:

  • Products of animal origin or fish (Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) goods)
  • Plant, plant products, timber-based products (SPS goods)
  • Agrifood products (SPS goods)
  • Controlled goods requiring import licences

See the Guidance on controlled goods and the Online Tariff Tool – Northern Ireland Customs and Trade Academy guide on NICTA.

However, Category 2 goods (types of goods with fewer restrictions in place) may still use IMMI if you declare the correct 8-digit commodity code and provide any required licences or certificates. Category 1 goods (a type of controlled goods that have the most restrictions in place) cannot use IMMI and must instead be declared via the TSS Simplified Procedure.

  • Declare them in the right place: Within TSS, enter ‘controlled goods’ in the correct declaration route and include all required document references at the item level of the Entry Summary Declaration. This is to ensure the Simplified Frontier Declaration will pull through any licence, authorisation or certificates required for the movement. This is done by selecting ‘Yes’ to the question ‘Does Consignment contain goods subject to control, licence or certification?’ when completing the Entry Summary Declaration.

Your bi-weekly jargon buster

CERTEX

The Certification Exchange System (CERTEX) is an EU system that verifies licence data on declarations in and out of NI. This replaces the previous Automatic Licence Verification System (ALVS).

CERTEX checks documents such as Common Health Entry Documents (CHEDs), ODS (Ozone Depleting Substances), FGAS (Fluorinated Gases) licences and Certificates of Inspection (COI) for organic goods.

Information on CERTEX and its requirements can be found in the new NICTA guide, How to Declare Licensed Goods for Movements into Northern Ireland, as well as on the Moving licensed goods into or out of Northern Ireland page on GOV.UK and on The European Union Customs Single Window Certificates Exchange System (EU CSW-CERTEX).

‘At risk’ / ‘Not at risk’

‘At risk’: Applies to goods that enter NI but may later be sold or consumed within the EU. It also applies to goods moved into NI for commercial processing, unless in one of the approved processing sectors. In addition, any goods subject to EU trade defence measures are also classed as ‘at risk’.

‘Not at risk’: Applies to goods that will be for sale to or final use by end-consumers located in the UK and are moved to NI by a business authorised under UKIMS.

Controlled goods

Controlled goods are defined as those that are subject to special regulation, certification, licensing or other approvals. This includes not only HMRC customs-controlled goods, such as excise goods, but also goods that are subject to authorisations by any other HM Government (HMG) department.

If your goods are controlled, you’ll need to include the right details in your declaration (such as licence information). You can check this using the Northern Ireland Online Tariff on GOV.UK.

TSS Contact Centre hours of operation:

07:30 – 22:30, 7 days a week

Contact options

Tel: 0800 060 8888

Welsh speakers Tel: 0800 060 8988

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