Enveloppe Logistique Obligatoire (ELO) — French Customs Logistics Envelope
France’s mandatory Enveloppe Logistique Obligatoire (ELO) is a pre-crossing logistics envelope required by French customs (DGDDI) for all road vehicles entering or exiting France via RoRo routes between the United Kingdom and France. Introduced as part of France’s post-Brexit border digitalisation programme, the ELO must be generated and presented at the French border before crossing — and it must link the physical vehicle movement to the associated customs declarations and safety and security filings. Non-compliance results in the vehicle being refused crossing.
Whether you are a haulier running regular Channel corridor routes, a carrier managing mixed loads, or a freight forwarder coordinating multi-modal movements, ELO compliance is now a permanent, non-negotiable operational requirement for every UK–France road crossing.
Customs Declarations UK is now fully live with ELO, integrated directly with the French Customs platform. The platform enables users to generate a compliant ELO barcode and logistics envelope without leaving the CDUK environment, completing the full end-to-end compliance workflow in one place: customs declaration, ENS or ICS2 safety and security filing, and ELO generation — all from a single platform.
What Is the ELO and Who Needs It?
The ELO (Enveloppe Logistique Obligatoire) is a mandatory pre-crossing document required by French customs for all road vehicle movements — loaded or empty — crossing between the United Kingdom and France via RoRo ferry or Eurotunnel routes.
It functions as a digital envelope that ties together the vehicle and crossing details (direction, truck type, loaded or empty), the associated customs declaration Movement Reference Numbers (MRNs), safety and security filing references (ENS / ICS2), and shipment flags such as TIR/ATA Carnet, SPS-controlled goods, fish and seafood products, or empty packaging.
Once generated, the ELO produces a unique barcode (the Barcode Token) which the driver presents to French customs at the border. It must be generated before the vehicle crosses, and it must accurately reflect all linked declarations for that movement.
The ELO is required for:
- Hauliers and carriers crossing between Great Britain and France by road
- Import movements (UK → France) and export movements (France → UK)
- Loaded trucks, empty trucks, and specialist vehicle types
- All movements where customs declarations or ENS/ICS2 filings are linked to the crossing
ELO and ICS2: The Critical Connection
The ELO does not exist in isolation. For goods moving from Great Britain into the EU — including France — safety and security data must be submitted via an ICS2 Entry Summary Declaration (ENS) before the crossing. French customs requires that the ELO correctly references the relevant ICS2/ENS filing. Customs Declarations UK supports ICS2 end-to-end across all transport modes — making it the only platform you need for the complete UK–France compliance sequence: CDS customs declaration, ICS2/ENS filing, and ELO generation — all in one place, with no risk of data mismatches between filings.
Key Features of CDUK’s ELO Service
Direct French Customs Integration
CDUK is integrated directly with the French Customs platform. ELO envelopes generated through the platform are fully compliant with French customs requirements and accepted at all UK–France RoRo crossing points.
End-to-End Workflow in One Platform
From customs declaration to ICS2/ENS filing to ELO generation, the entire compliance sequence for a UK–France road movement is completed within a single platform. No external logins, no copy-pasting of MRNs between systems, no duplication of effort.
Instant Barcode Generation
Once your ELO is submitted and accepted, the platform generates the ELO barcode and reference document immediately. The barcode can be downloaded and shared with the driver in seconds — ready for presentation at the French border.
Linked MRN Management
Add and manage all Declaration MRNs directly within the ELO envelope. The platform supports multiple MRN entries per envelope, with clear validation to ensure your ELO accurately reflects the full load before submission.
Support for All Crossing Types
The platform handles ELO creation for all crossing directions (Import: UK → France; Export: France → UK), all truck types (Loaded — Plein; Empty — Vide), and all relevant shipment flags including TIR/ATA Carnet, SPS-controlled goods, fish and seafood products, and empty packaging.
Searchable Envelope History
All generated ELOs are stored within the platform and fully searchable by Transaction Number, Movement Reference Number (Numéro Dossier), Envelope Status, and date range. A complete audit trail is maintained for every crossing.
How It Works
Onboarding
Register on the Customs Declarations UK platform and configure your account. Existing CDUK users have immediate access to the ELO module — no additional setup required.
File Your Declarations
Submit your customs declaration and ICS2/ENS safety and security filing through the platform’s guided wizards. Your MRNs are generated and stored within your account, ready to link to your ELO.
Create Your ELO
Navigate to the ELO module, select crossing direction and truck type, add your Declaration MRNs, confirm shipment flags, and submit to French customs. The platform validates your entry before submission.
Download and Go
On acceptance by French customs, your ELO barcode and reference document are available for immediate download. Share with the driver — your vehicle is ready to cross.
Overall Benefits of the Platform
- Free ELO with Fair Usage
- End-to-End UK–France Compliance
- Direct French Customs Integration
- ICS2 / ENS Integrated Workflow
- Instant Barcode Generation
- Searchable Envelope History
- Secure Cloud-Based Platform
- No Contractual Commitments
French ELO — Overall Guide
