Writing an acceptable goods description
Describe your goods for Internal Market Movement Information, standard and entry summary declarations.
Contents
- What you must include
- Acceptable descriptions for different types of goods
- Examples of acceptable descriptions
- Entry summary declarations: stop words and unacceptable characters
- Internal Market Movement Information
- Standard declarations
What you must include for all declarations
You must give clear and specific details about your goods, so that customs can identify them. If you do not, your declaration may be rejected.
Your description can include:
- material - what the goods are made of
- use - what the goods are used for - if the goods have more than one use, state the use that applies to your goods
- packaging - for packaged goods, state the type of packaging
- brand and model for branded goods
You can find further information on goods description on DE 6/8 Description of Goods (opens in a new tab).
For example, if you are shipping screwdrivers, do not write “screwdrivers”.
Ask yourself key questions about the product. Use the answers to write a clear goods description. Include details such as:
- the type - if they are hex, flathead, Torx or Phillips screwdrivers
- colour - it the handles are different colours
- if they are single items or packs
So, an acceptable description could be: “Set of 3 Bosch red flathead screwdrivers”.
Apply this approach to any goods you move, whatever the size or type.
Acceptable descriptions for different types of goods
The information you must include depends on the type of goods you move.
If you move clothes packaged in sets and by size, include these details in the description. For example: ‘women’s cotton T-shirts, size 14, packs of 3’.
If you move excise goods, you must include the volume, brand name, and container size. For example: ‘hand rolling tobacco, Amber Leaf, 500g’.
If you move alcohol products, you must also include the alcohol strength. For example: ‘vodka, Absolut, 1 litre, ABV 37.5’
If you’re declaring multiple goods under a single commodity code, you must include the word ‘grouping’. For example: ‘handmade porcelain ornaments, earthenware pottery statues – grouping’.
Find out about grouping for standard declarations (opens in a new tab).
Find out about grouping Internal Market Movement Information (opens in a new tab).
Examples of acceptable descriptions
A goods description should be specific enough to identify exactly what is being shipped. The following examples show the difference between an unacceptable goods description and an acceptable one.
| Unacceptable description | Acceptable description |
|---|---|
| Clothes | Men’s cotton shirts (knitted) – size XL |
| Appliances | Fridge-freezer (combined), 249 ltr, Hotpoint, white |
| Medicines | Ibuprofen tablets 200mg, 40 units |
| Fruit | Fresh apricots (for human consumption) in crates (48 ltr) |
| Alcohol | Vodka (Smirnoff) 1ltr, ABV 37.5 |
| Auto Parts | Automobile Brakes, Windshield Glass for Automobiles |
Entry summary declarations: stop words and unacceptable characters
There are certain words (stop words) and characters that you cannot use when you’re describing your goods on an entry summary declaration.
In the Trader Support Service, if you use a stop word and/or an unacceptable character, you’ll see an error message. You’ll need to enter a better description.
To help you avoid entry summary declaration rejections, check the EU list of stop words and unacceptable characters (opens in a new tab) on the European Commission website.
The EU update this list from time to time, so check it before you start.
Internal Market Movement Information
Find out how to describe your goods: Group 6: Goods Identification (opens in a new tab).
Standard declarations
Find out how to describe your goods: Description of Goods for Imports (opens in a new tab).