Introduction The EU Import Control System 2 (ICS2) represents a significant modernization of customs security processes across the European Union and the United Kingdom. At the heart of this system lies a critical requirement: accurate, specific, and meaningful descriptions of goods, parties, and addresses in customs declarations. Generic or vague terms—known as "stop words"—are systematically [...]
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The European customs landscape is undergoing its most significant transformation in decades, driven by the parallel evolution of two critical systems: the Import Control System 2 (ICS2) and the New Computerised Transit System Phase 6 (NCTS-P6). These developments, culminating in late 2025, represent a fundamental shift in how goods move across European borders, affecting traders, [...]
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Executive summary European customs administrations are under contradictory pressures: stop more fraud and unsafe goods, but release compliant consignments faster. For two decades, the Union Customs Code (UCC) and the EU Customs Risk Management Framework (CRMF) leaned heavily on rules-based targeting. That era isn’t over—but it is being augmented by machine learning (ML) and advanced [...]
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