EU Compliance Guide

• EU Mobility Package — Sets the rules on driving time, mandatory rest and fair pay for drivers working across member states. Falling short means fines and held loads.
• Directive 96/53/EC — Fixes the maximum weights and dimensions permitted for vehicles on EU roads, in the interests of road safety and efficient movement.

• Watch driver hours — Keep drivers inside the permitted driving windows and required rest breaks, and keep tachograph records to prove it.
• Check every load — Confirm dimensions and axle weights before departure so a vehicle is never turned back or surcharged at the border.

• Union Customs Code (UCC) — The framework governing how goods are declared, moved and released when entering or travelling within the Union.
• Import Control System 2 (ICS2) — Requires safety and security data to be filed electronically before goods arrive, which speeds up release for compliant traders.

• Get the paperwork right — Declare accurate commodity codes and product descriptions. Most delays we see come from a wrong or vague HS code.
• File ENS on time — Submit the Entry Summary Declaration within the ICS2 deadlines to reduce the chance of inspection or penalty.

• General Data Protection Regulation — Governs how personal data gathered in the course of shipping, from consignee details to delivery signatures, must be handled and stored.

• Secure what you hold — Keep personal data encrypted and limit access to the people who genuinely need it to move the consignment.
• Collect only what you need — Gather the minimum data required for carriage and customer service, and be clear with customers about why you hold it.

• European Green Deal and Fit for 55 — The Union emissions reduction targets, which increasingly shape how freight is routed, powered and reported.
• MRV Regulation — Requires monitoring, reporting and verification of emissions, bringing transport operators in line with EU climate goals.

• Choose lower emission transport — Work with carriers offering electric, alternative fuel or consolidated options where the lane allows.
• Measure and report — Track emissions data consistently so reporting obligations are met and improvements can be evidenced.

• EU aviation security — Sets the standards for securing air cargo, including controlled access and screening of freight before it flies.
• ADR — Governs the carriage of dangerous goods by road, covering classification, packaging, labelling and accompanying documents.

• Control site access — Restrict entry to freight handling areas and keep an auditable record of who handled a consignment.
• Declare hazardous goods properly — Classify, label and document dangerous goods correctly before collection. Undeclared hazardous cargo is a serious offence.

• Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive — Pushes shippers towards recyclable, reusable and reduced packaging to cut waste across the Union.
• REACH Regulation — Restricts hazardous substances in materials and packaging, protecting health and the environment.

• Pack with recyclable materials — Reduce plastic and choose materials that meet EU recyclability expectations without compromising protection in transit.
• Check your suppliers — Confirm packaging suppliers meet REACH obligations and can provide safety data sheets on request.

• Keep records in order — Hold customs entries, emissions reports and safety certificates together, and keep them for the retention period that applies.
• Stay audit ready — Review your own processes periodically rather than waiting for an inspection to surface a gap.

• Train the team — Make sure staff understand the customs, data protection and safety rules that touch their part of the operation.
• Keep up with change — EU requirements move. Follow trade press and industry bodies, or lean on your forwarder to flag what is coming.

Audit your internal procedures against current EU directives on a set schedule, and update them as requirements shift.

For complicated cross border questions, check the position with a qualified adviser before the goods move, not after.