As of 1 November 2024, significant changes will come into effect in the Polish SENT (System for Electronic Transport Monitoring) for hauliers. These adjustments primarily impact carriers from non-EU and non-EEA countries, followed by companies within the EU and EFTA as of January 2025. Here’s a guide to understanding these changes, who they apply to, and what actions companies must take to comply.
What is the SENT system?
The SENT system is a digital platform aimed at monitoring road and rail transport of certain goods within Poland. This platform ensures that all relevant entities declare their transport operations, allowing Polish authorities to monitor and regulate cross-border shipments effectively.
Who must register?
- Non-EU/Non-EEA Carriers: Starting 1 November 2024, hauliers established outside the EU, EEA, Switzerland, or an EFTA country must register transport in the SENT system.
- EU, EFTA, and Swiss Carriers: From 1 January 2025, carriers based within the EU, Switzerland, or an EFTA member state, performing transports to or from non-EU countries, will also be required to register.
This requirement applies to various forms of international transport, including:
- Transport under an international road haulage permit
- Transport under a multilateral ECMT permit
- Permit-free transport based on bilateral agreements or regulations, such as the EU-Ukraine agreement from June 2022
- Cabotage transport authorised by Poland’s General Inspectorate of Road Transport
Steps for compliance
To comply with these new regulations, carriers must follow these steps on the PUESC platform (https://puesc.gov.pl/):
- Register or Log in
- Carriers should register an account on the PUESC platform or log in if they already have one. Detailed registration and login instructions are provided on the platform.
- Select the correct form
- RMPD100: To register a new transport notification.
- RMPD Update: For updating an existing notification.
- RMPD406: To verify a notification’s validity, including the latest GPS position.
- Submit details before transport commencement
- Registration must occur before the goods enter Polish territory. For new notifications, companies can submit details up to 10 days in advance. A reference number will be issued and valid for 10 days from the submission date.
- Document carriage type
- With Goods: Tick the “journey with goods” box if transporting goods; complete additional fields for consignee and consignor details if there are multiple recipients.
- Without Goods: Leave the box blank for empty runs.
- Transit: For multiple consignors/consignees, input data from a single selected document.
- Domestic Unladen Transport: A separate notification is required if the vehicle picks up another load in Poland for export.
- Technical issues
- If the PUESC platform is unavailable, a substitute document must be submitted via email to the General Inspectorate of Road Transport at awaria.zezwolenia@gitd.gov.pl, with confirmation from the system.
Risks and penalties for non-compliance
Failure to register the transport in the SENT system may result in:
- Vehicle detention by authorities
- Potential fines for undeclared or improperly declared transports
- Possible treatment of undeclared transport as unauthorised, potentially halting the transport until it is regularised
Hauliers are encouraged to familiarise themselves with these updates well in advance. The Polish authorities have provided a test version of the platform at https://test.puesc.gov.pl/ to help companies trial the process.