Important update: EU Safety and Security requirements for GB → EU & NI road courier exports (effective 31 December 2026

Summary: The EU’s Import Control System 2 (ICS2) requires Safety & Security shipment data to be submitted to EU Customs before goods depart Great Britain for the EU and Northern Ireland by European Road Courier.

What is ICS2 and why does it matter

ICS2 is the EU’s enhanced Safety and Security framework for

pre‑arrival risk analysis. It requires detailed shipment data to be provided in advance so customs authorities can assess risk before goods enter the EU.

What Rapid Despatch needs from you

• Nothing extra at booking. Provide the usual export commercial invoice(s) when you book your shipment.

• Accurate invoices. Ensure commercial invoices include full commodity descriptions, values, weights, and consignee details so we can extract the required S&S data.

What Rapid Despatch will do for you

• We will extract mandatory S&S data from the commercial invoices you already supply at booking.

• Experienced handling. Our teams already manage equivalent Safety & Security declarations for GB arrivals from the EU by road.

• Accredited partners. Our carefully chosen service partners hold AEO‑C accreditation and we operate in line with current customs legislation.

• 24/7 departures. Scheduled European departures run around the clock to maintain continuity and flexibility for your exports.

Will this delay shipments

We expect a seamless transition and do not anticipate routine delays. If a shipment is selected for additional checks by EU Customs, any delay will be due to the customs process rather than our handling.

Which shipments are affected

All road exports from Great Britain to EU member states and Northern Ireland that depart on or after 31 December 2026 require ICS2 S&S data submission.

Data privacy and security

We handle shipment and commercial data strictly for customs and regulatory compliance and follow industry best practices for secure data handling.

Who to contact

For questions or to discuss specific shipments, contact your Rapid Despatch international courier office at Basingstoke, Farnborough, Reading or Southampton.

Thank you for trusting Rapid Despatch International Couriers to keep your supply chains moving smoothly and compliantly.