Department For Transport
Section 1: Introduction and background
This guidance is for hauliers and commercial drivers who move goods or pick up/drop off trailers between Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and the European Union (EU).
It explains:
- what documents you need
- how to follow new rules to manage traffic heading to ports
- new border control processes
Guidance on moving goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland will be published separately.
Goods: personal allowances
If you are travelling to Great Britain (GB) from outside the UK, there are new rules on goods you can bring in for your own use without having to pay tax or duty.
Find out about bringing personal goods into the UK and to know if you have to make any necessary declarations.
Rules for drivers and personal food and drink
Drivers travelling to and from the EU should be aware of the rules about what personal food, drink and plants they can take with them. These rules apply to items carried on their person, in luggage or in the vehicle.
Drivers cannot take products containing meat or dairy (for example, a ham and cheese sandwich or coffee with milk) into the EU.
The highest risk plants and plant products, including some fruits, vegetables, flowers and seeds require a phytosanitary certificate before being allowed into the EU.
New rules for bringing animal and plant products from the EU into Great Britain will come into effect later in 2023 and we will update the guidance then.
If drivers have banned items with them, or they are not carrying the necessary certification, they will need to use, consume or dispose of them at or before the EU border.
Failure to do so may result in them being seized and destroyed with a risk of costs and penalties.
Find out about:
- personal food, plant and animal product imports
- taking meat and dairy products into the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein
Securing a vehicle when travelling to and from the UK
UK, non-EU and EU haulage companies and their drivers must secure vehicles coming into the UK to reduce the risk of becoming a victim of crime.
Drivers crossing the UK-EU border should be aware of the potential threats to vehicles and loads and how they can help stop clandestine entrants. A clandestine entrant is a person who hides in or on a vehicle to avoid going through UK border control.
If a driver does not secure a vehicle, and is found carrying clandestine entrants into the UK and UK controlled zones, the vehicles driver, owner or hirer can each be fined up to 2,000 for each person found (also known as a civil penalty).
The law applies to all arrivals into the UK or UK control zones, including from European ports and via the Eurotunnel.
Keeping vehicles secure
For haulage companies, an effective system includes:
- written instructions for drivers on how to use the system
- robust security devices to effectively secure the vehicle, load and load space
- evidence of training for drivers on how to use the system and security devicesproviding vehicle security checklists to drivers
- monitoring that drivers are complying with the codes of practice
For drivers, an effective system includes:
- application of security devices (e.g. a padlock, uniquely numbered seals and tilt cord) to secure vehicles after loading
- checking the security devices and vehicle thoroughly after each stop and before entering the UK
- recording comprehensive checks on a vehicle security checklist, to show compliance, and have available to present to a Border Force officer
Drivers should follow the 10 step guidance on preventing clandestine entrants, and carry this with them throughout their journey.
If someone hides in a vehicle?
If a driver suspects someone is attempting to enter their vehicle or has entered their vehicle, they should contact local police as soon as it is safe to do so. In the UK call 999 or in the EU call 112 before you enter the port.
Inland border facilities
Inland border facilities (IBFs) are UK government sites where customs and documentary checks can take place away from port locations.
IBFs act as an Office of Departure (for outbound journeys) and as Office of Destination (for inbound journeys).
Checks for the following movements are carried out at IBFs:
- Common Transit Convention (CTC), also known as Transit
- ATA Carnet
- Transports Internationaux Routiers (TIR) Carnet
- Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
- other forms e.g. C108, duplicate lists etc check with your trader what you need to carry
Stays at an IBF are time limited to 2 hours. You may incur extra charges if you stay longer than 2 hours.
An IBF app is available for smartphones on the Google play store and the App store.
Note: Not all hauliers will need to attend an IBF unless required to undertake an Office of Transit check. For example: if you are starting or ending a CTC movement at the premises of an Authorised Consignor or Authorised Consignee and already have a validated Transit Accompanying Document (TAD), you do not need to attend an IBF.
It is important to note that IBFs are not:
- truck stops/rest points for drivers drivers should check the amount of driving time left on their tachographs when entering an IBF to minimise risk for having to find a place (elsewhere) for the mandatory rest breaks while also wanting to attend the IBF
- places to initiate customs formalities (go elsewhere for those services there are no customs agents on site)
- mandatory for every export if you already have all your paperwork for both sides and Permission to Progress (P2P) from CHIEF then you dont need to attend an IBF