Dear Clients and Business Partners,

Below we share important information regarding the export and shipping of goods to the EU, which should also be communicated to your customers in order to ensure smooth and timely delivery, while avoiding additional costs and delays.

As you are aware, all goods exported from Bosnia and Herzegovina through the UPS system pass through the breakdown location in Ljubljana, which is considered the entry point to the European Union. Accordingly, all accompanying documentation and export invoices must be fully compliant with ICS2 system requirements and pre-approved for entry into the EU.

Over the past months, we have worked intensively on aligning with UPS requirements, and we kindly ask you to pay special attention to the following:

1. Mandatory elements on export invoices

• exact and detailed product description (type)

• material from which the product is made

• quantity/pieces

• product specification (especially if it concerns spare parts or components)

• corresponding HS code

It is the shipper’s obligation to declare the product name on the invoice and accompanying documentation accurately, precisely, and completely. A lack of full or precise product description constitutes a regulatory violation and represents a direct risk to successful export.

2. Use of acceptable product descriptions

The European Commission has defined a list of unacceptable (“stop words”) and recommended (“acceptable words”) product descriptions.

For example, terms such as “general cargo,” “parts,” “goods,” “merchandise,” “stuff,” “samples,” or “miscellaneous” are not accepted.

Instead, a precise description must be provided. For instance: instead of “clothes” use “men’s cotton shirts”, or instead of “accessories” use “bathroom fittings”.

Attached you will find the official document from the European Commission with detailed examples of acceptable and unacceptable terms. Please review it carefully and use it as a reference when preparing documentation.

3. Consequences of inaccurate or incomplete descriptions

If the shipper fails to provide a correct, accurate, and complete product description on the invoice accompanying the goods, the following consequences may occur:

• delivery delays due to shipment being held by customs in Ljubljana

• additional costs arising from subsequent customs checks, returns, or reprocessing of shipments

• risk of return of goods and unsuccessful export

• loss of trust from end recipients due to perceived unprofessionalism and limited export capabilities

Once a shipment is held by customs due to improper declaration, it is in practice almost impossible to secure its release or onward forwarding to the UPS sorting hub in Cologne, even after subsequent corrections have been made.

4. Recommendation

We recommend that you dispatch shipments only once all of the above requirements have been met, ensuring the documentation is fully compliant with ICS2 requirements and acceptable to EU customs authorities. By doing so, you:

• avoid delays and unnecessary holds at the entry point in Ljubljana

• minimize the risk of additional costs that may arise from customs checks, returns, or reprocessing

• ensure the smooth flow of goods to the UPS sorting hub in Cologne and further to final destinations

• strengthen your professional credibility with end customers and partners, as timely and accurate deliveries demonstrate reliability and seriousness

• protect both your own and our shared reputation in the market, as incomplete or inaccurate documentation may create a negative impression of the exporter’s and logistics operator’s capabilities