Descartes Helps MOL Manage European Import Filings

MOL, a multi-modal transport company, has selected Descartes Systems Group to help manage its container division's European Union (EU) Import Control System (ICS) customs filings. Descartes will help MOL manage import security filings into Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, France, Spain and Italy.

With its Global Filer solution, Descartes is working with customers like MOL to help prepare them to comply with the EU ICS requirements scheduled to be effective in January 2011. The Descartes Global Filer solution is architected to support the 27 EU and other countries around the world that require import security filings.

As of January 1, 2011, the EU Customs Union Security Filing program is scheduled to go live in all 27 member states of the EU. The EU Customs Union Security Filing program was developed in an effort to address the security and automation of trade shipments for imports and exports in and out of the EU. The EU Customs Union is introducing these customs compliance regulations to standardize and automate its customs filings process.

EU member states and the community have come together to form the electronic customs multiannual strategic plan (MASP). The goal of the plan is to provide the vision, objectives, strategic framework and milestones towards a paperless environment for customs and trade.