At the same border crossing two consignments can take entirely different paths: one is released on the documents, the other is unloaded and inspected. That is not chance — it is the result of the release corridor.
What the system rests on
When goods are moved across the customs border, the release system is determined from the electronic information supplied in advance and from a risk assessment. Risk here means the likelihood that the requirements of customs legislation will not be met.
The system consists of four corridors, arranged in increasing order of risk.
The four corridors
- Green — Release without inspection of the goods or the vehicle. Intended for importers in the low and medium risk groups.
- Yellow — Documentary control. Goods calling for special certificates — health and veterinary documents, for instance — fall into this corridor.
- Blue — The goods are released and control is shifted to the stage after release.
- Red — The highest risk group. A physical inspection of the goods is carried out here.
What it affects
The corridor bears directly on two things: when the cargo reaches you and what will be asked of you. In the red corridor the cargo is unloaded, samples may be taken and in some cases an expert examination is ordered — each of those means extra days in the warehouse.
The blue corridor works differently: the cargo is released quickly, but the documents may be examined later during a post-release check. Which means the papers cannot be thrown away once the cargo has left.
What is in your hands
You cannot order a corridor, but a few concrete things shape the risk assessment:
- documents that agree with one another — description, weight, quantity and value identical throughout
- a correctly chosen code supported by the technical description
- the required permits and certificates ready before the cargo arrives
- no irregularities on previous operations
The last point is the longest-lived: the system looks at a company's history, so the consequences of a one-off mistake do not end with one shipment.
If an inspection is assigned
When a document request arrives or an inspection is ordered, most of the lost time comes from a slow reply. In those cases we prepare the documents and the reasoning — under consulting we can work through the situation on your own shipment's paperwork.
Our service on this topic
- Consulting Professional advice on customs law, duty calculation and risk management.
Still have a question?
Get in touch to discuss your specific customs clearance situation — our team will explain it within the framework of the law.
