In 2025, the EU introduced new regulations for package shipments entering its customs territory — including Norway, Switzerland, and Northern Ireland.
These updates place greater responsibility on the shipper to provide accurate and complete information for each shipment.
The new rules apply only to packages, not to document shipments.
With ENS 2.0 and ICS2 now in force, your shipping data must meet higher standards for customs clearance.
This guide will walk you through -
Shipping to the European Union (EU) has always required customs paperwork, but starting in 2025, the rules have become much stricter.
This is largely due to ENS 2.0, a revised version of the EU’s Entry Summary Declaration, which must now be submitted with more precise shipment information before your goods even enter the European territory.
This regulation also applies to goods being delivered to Norway, Switzerland, and Northern Ireland, which follow many EU customs protocols despite not being EU member states.
As part of the update, authorities now expect full and accurate information about the shipper, the consignee, and, most importantly, the goods themselves.
Vague product names, generic descriptions, and incomplete addresses can result in your shipment being held, delayed, or even rejected outright at the border.
To make sense of the new shipping rules, it’s essential to understand the two systems driving them - ENS 2.0 and ICS2.
ENS 2.0, short for Entry Summary Declaration 2.0, refers to the new data format that all shipments into the EU must comply with. It requires detailed, clear, and accurate information about each consignment, including:
The system emphasizes specificity and has introduced the use of “stop words” to automatically flag problematic descriptions that are considered too vague or misleading.
ICS2, or Import Control System 2, is the European Union’s digital platform for processing these declarations.
It evaluates incoming shipment data in real time, using automated risk assessments to determine whether goods can proceed or if further inspection is needed.
ICS2 is not something the shipper interacts with directly; rather, it's the backend system that reviews and approves the ENS 2.0 declarations submitted by carriers, postal operators, or express couriers like DHL Express.
Together, ENS 2.0 and ICS2 form the backbone of the 2025 EU import process. They’re designed to make shipments safer and more traceable. That said, the update has raised the bar for how detailed and accurate your declarations must be as a shipper.
Under the 2025 EU shipping regulations, customs authorities now require far more precision in how goods and parties are declared.
Whether you're shipping as a business or an individual, your declaration must go beyond generic labels and partial contact information. If your descriptions or address details are incomplete, your shipment may be held, flagged, or rejected outright by ICS2.
To comply, it’s important to follow three key standards in your declaration: how you describe the goods, how you name the shipping party, and how you provide address information.
When describing your goods, you must name the exact item being shipped — not the category, use case, or commercial label.
The goal is to make the item immediately identifiable by someone unfamiliar with your business or product range, such as a customs officer. The description should focus on what the item is, not what it does or why it's being sent.
Avoid vague terms like “gift,” “accessory,” “device,” or “sample.” Instead, use clear and specific product names.
Here are a few examples:
| Unacceptable Description | Acceptable Description |
| Appliances | Bathroom fittings, lighting and electrical accessories. |
| Battery | Lithium batteries |
| Apparel | Men’s cotton T-shirts, lingerie, girls' vests, boys’ jackets |
| Auto Parts | Automobile brakes, windshield glass for automobiles |
When possible, include the European Union HS code to help customs classify your item more accurately, though it’s not mandatory in every case.
"Shipping party" refers to all parties involved in the shipping process, including both the consignor and the consignee.
The name must be the full legal name of the person or business involved.
For individuals, this means using the complete first and last name as shown on official identification. For businesses, use the registered business name without abbreviations or acronyms — unless they are officially part of the name.
Abbreviations, initials, or placeholder terms such as the following are not acceptable:
Incomplete or vague sender names can trigger customs red flags and may even prevent pre-arrival risk assessment processing under ICS2, which can lead to delays or the seizure of your package.
A complete and accurate address is critical for both the shipper and the consignee.
The address must include full and accurate information, including:
Simply stating a company name, omitting the city, or providing a PO box without supporting details is no longer sufficient under the 2025 standards.
Similar to the examples given for the "Shipping Party Name," placeholder terms like “N/A,” “Private,” and “Not Available” are strictly unacceptable.
This level of detail is especially important for security screening and traceability.
ICS2 rely on this data to validate the origin and destination of each shipment. If the address is incomplete or unverified, your declaration may be rejected or delayed during clearance.
In addition to tightening declaration standards, the EU has also introduced a system for detecting high-risk shipments based on language.
Customs authorities now use a list of “stop words” — terms that are considered vague, misleading, or overly broad — to identify declarations that may need further inspection.
Here's are some of the common "stop words" by category:
| Goods Description | Shipping Party | Shipping Address |
| 1004, 1005, etc. (numbers) | TBC | Unknown |
| As ordered (vague description) | Not available | Personal address |
| Birthday gifts (broad term) | As per attached invoice | As per xx |
| “.”, “-“, “ ” (empty characters) | Private | xxxx |
| $%^&<* (special characters) | Select | Individual |
Placeholder terms in your goods description, shipping party details, or address like this will trigger a rejection in ICS2, which can delay your shipment or lead to manual inspection.
Fortunately, you don’t have to navigate these changes alone.
A number of digital tools and platforms are available to help ensure your declarations meet the new requirements.
For DHL Express customers, MyDHL+ is one of the most useful platforms.
It guides you through the shipment booking process, prompting you to enter all necessary details and flagging any incomplete or vague entries. It also allows you to create reusable shipment templates for frequently sent items, reducing the chance of input errors.
If you sell through e-commerce platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce, many now include customs data fields in the checkout flow. Make sure these fields are accurately filled in, especially if you’re dropshipping or using a fulfillment partner.
For HS code lookup, you can use the official EU HS code lookup tool to match product types with the correct code.
Alternatively, you can use DHL’s free MyGTS tool, which helps you find the correct tariff code and provides a full overview of the customs documents required for your shipment — all in one place. For step-by-step instructions, refer to this quick guide.
At DHL Express, we’re fully aligned with the new EU shipping regulations, and our systems have been updated to support ENS 2.0 compliance.
When you ship with us, many of the technical requirements — including submitting data to ICS2 — are handled on your behalf. But there’s still an important role for you to play
You're responsible for making sure the information you provide when booking your shipment on MyDHL+ is complete, accurate, and specific.
We're not permitted to change vague product descriptions or fill in any missing shipment details on your behalf.
As a result, if key information is incomplete or if stop words are detected in your description, your shipment may be held by EU customs.
To avoid that, you must:
Once you’ve provided the correct details, we can take care of the rest — including customs clearance and tracking.
Use our step-by-step export shipment guide to ensure all information is filled in correctly from the start of your booking.
In 2025, the speed and smooth delivery of packages to the EU relies on accurate, complete, and compliant shipment information.
With the introduction of ENS 2.0, ICS2, and stricter customs checks at the border, your declaration now plays a critical role in whether your shipment clears without delay.
Whether you're a growing e-commerce brand, a frequent business exporter, or just sending a personal package to family in Europe, understanding and adhering to these rules is essential.
If you’ve skimmed past the detailed explanations above, here are 3 key takeaways to remember for smooth EU shipping:
Following these steps will help you stay compliant with the latest EU import rules, reduce the risk of delays, and ensure your shipment arrives on time — with fewer issues and greater peace of mind.
The 2025 EU import regulations apply to all EU member countries, including:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.
They also apply to shipments to or transiting through Northern Ireland and certain EU overseas territories (e.g. French Guiana).
The latest EU rules require goods declarations for all package shipments as part of pre-loading and pre-arrival security filings — with a few exceptions for air shipments:
Stop words are generic or vague terms—like “parts,” “samples,” “personal effects,” “unknown,” or “private”—that do not provide enough detail for customs authorities to identify goods or parties.
Using stop words in your goods description, shipper or consignee name, or address will trigger a red flag in the EU’s customs system, ICS2. This can result in your shipment being delayed, held, or rejected during customs clearance.
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