An intense and eventful year in customs – our summary of 2024

2024 has been a challenging but also rewarding year for our team. With several major implementations, parallel projects, and key milestones, we have truly put both our expertise and collaboration to the test. Time has been scarce, but thanks to strong team spirit, clear priorities, and close cooperation with our customers and developers, we have successfully navigated the year’s many challenges.

In this summary, we reflect on the past year – from the introduction of NCTS Phase 5 in January and the intense transition to UCC Export in the fall to the implementation of EIDR at the end of the year. We share our insights, highlights, and key takeaways from 2024.

UCC Projects

The year began with the introduction of NCTS Phase 5 on January 28, marking a so-called “Big Bang” transition where all countries switched to the new transit system. To ensure a smooth transition, we conducted training both via Teams and on-site at several companies. Final exams were completed, and tests were carried out for customers with integrations. One of the biggest challenges was the customs test environment, where limitations prevented the use of companies’ own data, which made the work a little extra cumbersome.

The Simplified Declaration for UCC Import was part of the EU’s ongoing digital transformation. The implementation was planned for September 2–27, and in the lead-up to this, we needed to plan, specify, develop, test, conduct final exams for all customers, and train and inform all relevant stakeholders.

The project to introduce the new simplified import process went smoothly, as it took place before the major focus on exports began. We were able to complete a significant portion of the import work before having to fully shift our attention. We found that the dialogue meetings and training sessions held via Teams and on-site in Gothenburg were highly effective.

Additionally, we implemented the AVA message (Notification of Declaration Arrival), which was a relatively small project and went smoothly.

Pictures from some of the 2024 training courses for our customers via Teams or on site.

Throughout the year, we worked continuously on the implementation of UCC Export, which had to be completed by October 1, with the implementation period ending on December 2. Similar to UCC Import, this involved specifications, development, training, and communication. Managing such a large project alongside smaller implementations was demanding. However, through strong teamwork, we were able to prioritize and distribute the workload effectively. In the end, we are pleased with the final product, even though there was room for improvement and some functions were not fully in place at the end of the implementation period. Our customers were very understanding throughout the process and incredibly helpful—some even volunteered to act as pilot users during the operational phase, which was greatly appreciated and made our work easier.

Before the end of the year (2024/2025), we also launched DTL (Declaration for Temporary Storage). This process is related to the previously mentioned AVA and was a smaller project that ran alongside other implementations.

At the end of December 2024, we also launched EIDR (Entry in the Declarant’s Records). This development and implementation was particularly challenging, as it coincided with the transition to UCC Export, which required extensive resources—not just from our customs team but also from our developers. Additionally, EIDR turned out to be significantly more complex than we initially anticipated, leading to more time being required to resolve various questions and challenges. Despite these difficulties, we are proud to have delivered a product that fulfills its purpose within such a short timeframe and under less-than-ideal conditions.

A successful event: TISdagen

In 2024, we also hosted our customer event, TISdagen. This Tuesday in April turned out to be a highly appreciated gathering where all participants contributed to making it an informative and memorable day centered around customs.

Set in the welcoming atmosphere of Hotel Statt in Hässleholm, the event offered valuable insights, productive networking, and excellent culinary experiences during both lunch and dinner. A big thank you to all participating customers, colleagues, and guest speaker Lars-Gunnar Nilsson from Spedak.

Now, we are recharging and looking forward to TISdagen on May 13, 2025!

Pictures from last year’s successful customer event TISdagen. The 2025 event will take place on May 13th.

A few closing words

This year has been a true test of time management and prioritization. We’ve had to distribute tasks efficiently to meet deadlines, and at times, some of us had to put in long hours to ensure everything was completed.

While it has been a challenging time, it has been educational and fun to see that we are able to accomplish so much within the team, with the help of developers and support. Within the team, it has been a challenge to balance work with existing customers, while welcoming new customers and managing the time-consuming implementations.

The highlights of the year have been all the meetings with customers during TISdagen, Customs Day and on-site training, as well as seeing our hard work result in working products.

We look back on 2024 with pride in what we have accomplished and take valuable experiences with us into the new year. Now, we set our sights on 2025 — ready for new challenges and opportunities!

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