EU ICS2 System Suffers Widespread Outage; Prohibited Word List Update Scheduled for May 4 — 6 Europe Special Lines of Mihan Logistics Secure Your Cargo Transit

I. System Failure: Why Your Cargo Cannot Be Loaded on Vessels?

On April 10, the EU Import Control System 2 (ICS2) encountered a large-scale sudden technical glitch, resulting in a comprehensive suspension of Entry Summary Declaration (ENS) processing. Maersk officially confirmed in its circular released on April 13 that the system failure is still ongoing, severely affecting multiple functions including EU customs advance cargo declaration, vessel arrival notification, and temporary storage declaration. Customs Movement Reference Numbers (MRN) cannot be normally issued by EU customs authorities.

What is ICS2?
All goods entering the EU, whether by sea, air, rail or road transport, must submit ENS data in advance via the ICS2 system and obtain a unique reference number prior to vessel loading or transit.

Ireland has been fully incorporated into ICS2 regulation since January 1, 2026. All goods bound for Ireland must complete ENS declaration before shipment, with detailed English cargo descriptions, 6-digit HS codes, accurate cargo weight and value required. No MRN = Port loading rejection directly.

Practical Consequences of the Current System Failure
Failed ENS generation → Vessel loading ban → Cargo detained at ports → Continuous accumulation of container detention and storage demurrage fees

Shipped cargo with failed supplementary ENS declaration → Customs clearance stuck at destination port and cargo unavailable for pickup

The impact is not limited to Maersk; other shipping lines and customs brokers are facing the same dilemma.

Maersk stated that it is closely monitoring the situation and maintaining coordination with EU customs, with all declaration documents temporarily stored for unified submission upon system recovery. Nevertheless, with the emergency response plan of our professional customs brokerage team, stable declaration processing and rapid MRN acquisition are still achievable.

II. May 4 Prohibited Word List Expansion | A Single Phrase May Trap Full Container Cargo at Ports

System failures can wait for restoration, while the updated ENS prohibited word list will take effect officially on May 4. The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union has released the latest list of prohibited words and phrases, with 9 new entries to be fully enforced on May 4, 2026.

What is the Prohibited Word List?
ICS2 has a built-in prohibited word database. The system automatically verifies the cargo description field upon each ENS submission. Once any prohibited word is detected — whether used as an independent description or embedded in a long statement — the declaration will be automatically rejected.

Common Types of Existing Prohibited Words (Incomplete List)

Since the initial implementation of the prohibited word list in 2025, the EU has gradually expanded its coverage. The update on February 2, 2026 added terms including Aid, Commercial, Consumption, Ensemble, Fake, Miscellaneous, Item, Promotional. Meanwhile, similar restrictions have been imposed on the name and address fields of shippers and consignees.

The May 4 update is not the endpoint but part of the EU’s continuous upgrade of ENS data quality. In short: Your cargo is often not detained by customs, but blocked by a single prohibited word.

III. Mandatory French ELO Declaration | Mandatory Attention Even Without French Port Calls, Especially Critical for Ireland Routes

Effective April 20, 2026, French customs officially enforced ELO (Enveloppe Logistique Obligatoire – Mandatory Logistics Envelope). All goods traveling between the EU and the UK via French ports (including Calais, Dunkirk, Le Havre and the Channel Tunnel) require an independent ELO electronic logistics envelope for each vehicle, generating a scannable barcode that integrates all customs clearance data and the MRN number of ICS2 ENS.

Core ELO Process Chain
Submit ENS via ICS2 → Obtain MRN → Create ELO and link MRN → Generate barcode → Port scanning and clearance pass

Unsubmitted or rejected ENS leads to unavailable MRN, failure to generate ELO, and transit denial for carriers.

Special Impact on Ireland Routes
Most Ireland-bound cargo transits via UK land or ferry routes. The mandatory enforcement of French ELO directly affects the timeliness and stability of the UK-France-Ireland transit route. Mihan Logistics adopts a stable transit solution to Ireland via the Port of Felixstowe in the UK, effectively avoiding ELO compliance risks at French ports.

IV. Superimposed Triple Regulation | The Biggest Risk Chain for European Logistics Currently

With the superposition of the above three new regulations, the actual risk chain for EU-bound exports is as follows:
Unstable ICS2 System + May 4 Prohibited Word List Expansion + Mandatory French ELO Declaration + Full ICS2 Regulation for Ireland
↓
Any mistake in any link= Cargo loading failure at port or undeliverable cargo at European destination

Actual Risk Costs

Unreported / Delayed ENS Declaration: Penalty of EUR 1,000–5,000
Cargo Detention: Storage fee of EUR 50–200 per day with cumulative charges
Return Risk: All expenses borne by the shipper with heavy economic losses
The EU will further tighten compliance requirements after May: starting June 1, 2026, ICS2 will be fully applicable to road and rail transport of all EU member states.

V. Customized Solutions from Mihan Logistics

As policy risks and system failures become the new normal, partnering with a logistics provider proficient in regulations, equipped with emergency plans and rapid response capability is more critical than ever.

About Mihan Logistics
Mihan Logistics has nearly 20 years of in-depth layout in the European market, dedicated to providing one-stop door-to-door comprehensive international logistics services. Core businesses cover Europe & America consolidated LCL shipping, dedicated air freight, FBA e-commerce logistics, warehousing & distribution, customs declaration and insurance, with diversified transport solutions including ocean freight, air freight, rail and road transport.

Up to now, the company owns over 20,000 square meters of self-operated and contracted overseas warehouses, with weekly scheduled departures of European truck resources, delivering stable and reliable logistics support for cross-border e-commerce sellers and traditional trade cargo owners.

Overview of Mihan Logistics’s 6 Europe Special Lines (2026)

Core Competitive Advantages

1.Full-process ENS Pre-processing
Fully compliant with Ireland’s full ICS2 regulation since January 1, 2026; provides advance ENS declaration service.
Real-time synchronization with official EU updates of the prohibited word list; completes format self-inspection for all existing orders before May 4.
Professional customs team handles prohibited word screening, HS code matching and data format verification.

2.Precise Bypass of French ELO Blind Spots
Adopts stable routes transiting to Ireland via UK Felixstowe Port to reduce French port ELO compliance risks.
Establishes ELO pre-registration procedures and emergency plans for routes that must pass through France.

3.20,000+ Square Meters Overseas Warehousing Network
Self-operated and cooperative warehousing resources across Europe support short-term storage, container deconsolidation and FBA transshipment.
Cargo can be promptly transferred to overseas warehouses for temporary storage amid system failures or customs clearance delays, avoiding port detention fees.

4.One-stop Door-to-Door Service
Closed-loop whole-process management including domestic warehousing inbound → export customs declaration → ocean/air/rail transport → European import customs clearance → end delivery with clear liability delineation.

VI. Urgent Action Checklist

With only a few days left before the official implementation of the updated prohibited word list on May 4, complete the following preparations in advance:
Comprehensive review of declaration information: Specify exact commodity names, remove all prohibited words, ensure 6-digit or longer HS codes matched with commodity descriptions.
Complete format self-inspection before May 4: Contact Mihan Logistics customer service to obtain the full official updated prohibited word list and self-inspection template.
Verify ELO account registration for UK-Europe routes: Pre-register personal accounts via French Customs official website douane.gouv.fr for recent shipments.
Timely customs clearance: System failures fall under force majeure; timely customs declaration and handover avoid unnecessary container detention fees.
Professional customs clearance process + insurance allocation: Mihan Logistics provides dual protection solutions of "customs clearance + insurance" to reduce overall risk exposure.

Your cargo cannot withstand repeated impacts from uncertainties. From today onwards, entrust your European logistics compliance and stable transportation to a professional team that truly understands regulatory rules.

Mihan  Logistics — Professional in Europe, Devoted to You.

Data Source: European Commission, official circulars of Maersk and customs announcements of multiple countries (as of April 27, 2026).