Sealing using a seal of a special type - introduction

Goods placed under the Transit Procedure or the means of transport used to transport them are sealed during transport, which is done to uphold the identity of the goods and to avoid substitution of the goods or their removal from customs supervision. The customs authorities usually affix the seals.

Under the 'Authorisation to use a Seal of a Special Type’, you may use seals of a special type that deviate from the regular seals used by the customs authorities. Such deviating seals are also known as company seals. You can apply for an authorisation via the EU Trader Portal. Go to 'EU Trader Portal instructions for use - authorisation Use of Seals of a Special Type (SSE)' (only available in Dutch) on our website.

In addition to the general conditions, a number of specific provisions apply to the Authorisation to use a Seal of a Special Type.

The seal of a special type must have a number of specific characteristics. The most important of these characteristics are as follows:

• The seal must be sturdy, durable and intended for single use.
• The seal must be furnished with identification features, such as a company name, a company logo or a (tax) number.
• It must not be possible to break the seal and to re-affix it without leaving any traces.
• It must be easy to check and identify the seal.

The following applies additionally to containers: if the seals are certified by a competent authority in accordance with the ISO standard 17712-2013 'Freight Containers Mechanical Seals', such seals are expected to meet the specified requirements.

All approved seals of a special type may be used by all customs transit declarants who have obtained permission from Customs (both declarants using the normal procedure and declarants acting as Authorised Consignors). The declarants must state the details pertaining to the used seal of a special type in the Customs Transit Declaration in the regular manner.