Key changes from 1 June 2026
Poland is now covered by the full ICS2 rollout, alongside Croatia, Latvia, Romania and Slovakia. For road and rail movements entering the EU from non-EU countries, Entry Summary Declarations (ENS) are mandatory, and incorrect submissions can lead to border delays or consignments being held. The International Road Transport Union (IRU) has warned that the rules apply immediately, with no grace period.
Separately, the European Commission has introduced CountEmissionsEU as a common methodology for emissions calculations in freight and passenger transport, with the longer-term aim of making carbon reporting comparable across the EU.
Together, the changes point to greater digitalisation and stricter expectations around the quality and completeness of data shared with authorities and, increasingly, customers.
Poland joins the full ICS2 rollout
For companies operating international services, the most immediate operational impact is the expansion of Import Control System 2 (ICS2) to more EU countries. As the IRU notes, ICS2 replaces the previous ICS1 system and is intended to strengthen security by requiring detailed shipment information to be submitted earlier—before goods arrive in the European Union.
In practice, this means an ENS (Entry Summary Declaration) must be filed for goods entering the EU or transiting through it by road.
Each consignment requires its own ENS and it must be submitted before the vehicle reaches the border.
Errors can result in consignments being held
Joanna Porath, owner of the customs agency AC Porath, notes that from June, hauliers are required to submit full safety and security declarations in the new system.
Deadlines are tight. In road transport, the ENS must be submitted at least one hour before crossing the border; in rail, the deadline is two hours. The updated requirements include providing, among other data, an EORI number and six-digit commodity codes.
Incorrect submissions are rejected automatically, and failure to file can result in cargo being stopped at the border. Porath also stresses that the haulier remains responsible for the accuracy of the data provided.
For many operators, implementation is complicated by the fact that some member states introduced ICS2 earlier, in September 2025—among them Germany, Austria and Denmark—forcing companies operating across multiple corridors to manage different procedures depending on the route and destination.
IRU: no transition period
The IRU says the ICS2 rollout has entered a decisive phase and that no leniency period has been provided for enforcement. The organisation says it is in talks with the European Commission and national authorities to ensure the rollout reflects operational constraints in the transport and logistics sector.
One industry request has been “multiple filing”, which would allow different supply-chain parties to contribute information to a single ENS. The European Commission is working on this option, but the IRU expects it to become available only in the second half of 2026. Until then, the single-filing model remains in place.
A single EU method for transport emissions is now in place
1 June also marked the start of new EU rules for calculating greenhouse gas emissions in transport.
The European Commission has launched CountEmissionsEU—an EU-wide methodology for calculating emissions in both freight and passenger transport. The approach is based on the international standard EN ISO 14083:2023 and is intended to make results comparable regardless of transport mode.
According to the Commission, a common methodology should help businesses compare performance more accurately, improve logistics processes, and support procurement decisions that include environmental criteria and cost control.
The framework enables “door-to-door” emissions calculations covering the full transport chain.
Voluntary for now, with further rollout planned
The rules apply to companies that choose to publish transport emissions data voluntarily. The aim is to ensure that any reported figures are calculated under consistent principles and can be verified.
The European Commission says it will prepare implementing and delegated acts to clarify technical details. Guidance and digital tools are also expected to support adoption, particularly among small and medium-sized businesses.
Full rollout of CountEmissionsEU is planned by the end of 2030.
More data, more accountability
Taken together, the June changes underline the EU’s direction of travel: more detailed safety, security and customs-data obligations on one hand, and growing expectations for environmental transparency on the other. For hauliers and logistics providers, this increases the importance of data quality, system readiness and coordination with partners across the supply chain.
