Introduction

This guide provides advice on how businesses can navigate the question of 'who does what' in fulfilling the digital notification and disclosure of information obligation.

Stakeholders

For goods arriving by air, we are aware that there can be multiple stakeholders with various roles involved. We have identified some of those roles, which may be relevant in the process of digitally fulfilling the notification and disclosure of information obligation. Here, we will list some of them and describe their involvement.

Stakeholder Role Description Involvement in digital notification & disclosure
Operator

Operator of the Aircraft
§ 2-3. The notification and disclosure of information obligation regarding arrival at the destination within the customs territory.
(1) The master of a vessel or aircraft shall report to the customs authorities upon arrival at the destination within the customs territory. The report shall include information about the means of transport, the crew, and the goods being brought as cargo.

Formally, it is the operator of the means of transport who is responsible for fulfilling the notification and disclosure of information obligation.

Transporter

This is the airline or carrier

In practice, it will be the transporter or a customs representative who carries out the necessary processes to fulfill the notification and disclosure of information obligation.

Customs Representative

§ 7-21. Customs Representative
(1) Anyone who has rights or obligations with respect to the customs authorities has the right to be assisted or represented by a customs representative.
The customs representative acts on behalf of the represented party and in the name of the represented party.

A customs representative can represent the party obligated to fulfill all or parts of the digital notification and disclosure of information obligation.

It is possible to have a customs representative digitally fulfill the obligation for a house consignment, a master consignment, or a transport, or any combination of these.

Freight Forwarder

A freight forwarder is an individual or a company that organizes the consignment of goods and cargo from one source to another.

A freight forwarder can act as a customs representative on behalf of the carrier.

Typically, the freight forwarder will digitally fulfill the information part of the obligation by submitting details about consignments and master consignments.
Additionally, a freight forwarder can also ensure compliance with the declaration obligation on behalf of the cargo owner.

Road transporter

A transportation company that transports goods by road from the airport (border crossing point) to a location where a freight forwarder or another party can handle the cargo.
Typically, this is from the airport to, for example, the sorting facility of a freight forwarder.

Only indirectly involved in the notification and disclosure of information obligation, but it may be important for this stakeholder to be digitally involved, for example in order to retrieve goods at the airport.

Domestic distributer

The domestic distributer handles the distribution of goods domestically, on behalf of a freight forwarder.

The domestic distributer may be involved in sorting and directing for inspection on behalf of the freight forwarder.

Express shipping companies

A company that handles express consignments. These can typically have fully integrated solutions that cover some or all of the roles of the other stakeholders.

It may be involved in all aspects of the digital notification and disclosure of information.
Ground handler

A company that handles goods arriving at the airport. Typically, the ground handler stores the goods in its customs warehouse until the freight forwarder or recipient can clear the goods.

The ground handler can act as a customs representative for the carrier. May need to handle information about transport, master consignments, and consignments.

Cargo owner

The party responsible for the declaration of the goods in accordance with the declaration obligation.

The cargo owner can fulfill the declaration obligation themselves in Tvinn or delegate the task to a customs representative. A reference to the declaration can be the specified transition to the next customs procedure in digital notification and disclosure of information.

Terms

Term Explanation
AWB Airway bill
MAWB

Master airway bill
Declaration

Customs declaration for a specific customs procedure, such as immediate release import or warehouse release.
House Consignment

A physical consignment as described on a waybill (AWB), from a sender abroad to a recipient in Norway.
Master Consignment

A collection of house consignments as described on a master air waybill (MAWB), from a foreign freight forwarder to a freight forwarder in Norway.

Transport

Description of the means of transport, in this case, an aircraft, and its arrival details. This includes the flight number and arrival time.

TVINN

Norwegian Customs' system for customs declaration.
MO

Notification and disclosure of information obligation. Also used to refer to the system support for the notification and disclosure of information obligation.

Arrival

Indicates the arrival of the means of transport in the customs territory (Norway).
Presentation

In this context, it refers to the digital presentation of the consignment ("I have the consignment here, now").

Routing

Norwegian Customs direction on how the obligated party should proceed regarding a consignment or transport. In practice, it is a signal indicating whether the consignment can be released or must be withheld (for control).

Responsibility for fulfilling the notification and disclosure of information obligation.

In accordance with the law and regulations, it is the operator, typically represented by the carrier (airline), who is responsible for fulfilling the notification and disclosure of information obligation.
This means that in most cases, it will be thecarrier (airline) or their customs representative who should take responsibility for submitting the transport notification and ensure that the notification of master consignment and house consignment is submitted.

Timeline

The direct transport scheme will be discontinued on April 1, 2025. The existing courier manifest solution (Treff) is expected to be discontinued on January 1, 2025. System support for submitting information to fulfill the notification and disclosure of information obligation digitally is already in place in Digitoll.

There is a significant gain for businesses in starting early with adaption for digital fulfillment of obligations to Norwegian Customs. Business stakeholders should plan and implement measures for digital collaboration so that these obligations can be fulfilled in a correct and efficient manner.

Transition period

In the period between when Digitoll is made available from Norwegian Customs, until all stakeholders have fully adopted it, there will be a need to manage the processes around notification and disclosure of information obligations with temporary arrangements for digital collaboration. This may involve one stakeholder performing actions that would normally be done by others, or the exchange of information occurring through manual or semi-automated channels, such as email. The Digitoll program is happy to assist the stakeholders in arriving at such solutions.

The examples below are based on the assumption that all participating stakeholders have fully implemented solutions to fulfill notification and disclosure of information obligations and have digital collaboration solutions among themselves. Scenarios where consignments have a pre-notification obligation (ICS2) are excluded.

Scenarios for task distribution among the stakeholders

(when Digitoll is fully implemented by the stakeholders)

Scenario 1

Express company with a fully integrated solution:
Typically, such a company will act as a customs representative for the operator and handle all aspects of the digital fulfillment of the notification and disclosure of information obligation.

Express company with a fully integrated solution
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Scenario 2

A ground handler is the customs representative and handles transportation on behalf of the carrier(airline)
A freight forwarder handles the master consignment, house consignment, and the next customs procedure (declaration).

Here, the ground handler will report the transport to Digitoll on behalf of the transporter (airline). The notification of transport should include a list of keys to all master consignments.

The ground handler must then make sure to obtain key information about all master consignments (typically MAWB) to be included on the transport from the freight forwarder, so that links can be established.

The freight forwarder submits a declaration in Tvinn for immediate release import (or other relevant customs procedure).
The freight forwarder submits notifications of house consignments, including a link to the declaration in Tvinn, and notifications of master consignments to Digitoll.

The ground handler will need to retrieve routing signals for consignments from Digitoll so that they can release master consignments and house consignments to the freight forwarder, then there is no need to place the goods in a customs warehouse. Keep in mind that placing goods in a customs warehouse will require a declaration (from April 1, 2025).

MO-fly collaboration
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Digital collaboration

To complete the submission of information and fulfill the notification and disclosure of information obligation in this scenario, the ground handler and freight forwarder must exchange data. The ground handler needs to obtain the keys to all master consignments (MAWB) that will arrive with the aircraft from the freight forwarder

We recommend that the ground handler makes digital services available so that the freight forwarder can provide this information in a secure and efficient manner. The ground handler can then submit the notification of transport with the list of master consignments (MAWB numbers).

Arrival, presentation, and routing

Digitoll will automatically present consignments digitally to the stakeholders who have submitted information about transport, master consignments, and house consignments. This means that routing for consignments will be available in a hierarchy, where the stakeholder that submitted the notification of transport has access to all consignments reported on that transport, the one that submitted information about the master consignment has access to all house consignments under that master consignment. A stakeholder who has only submitted information about house consignment(s) only has access to the routing for those consignments.

When retrieving routing information, the ground handler will receive information indicating whether consignments on the transport have been selected for inspection at the airport (border crossing point). Typically, consignments will not undergo inspection at the border crossing point, and the ground handler will then know that the consignments have been released to the freight forwarder. This avoids placing goods in the ground handlers customs warehouse, and the freight forwarder can retrieve the consignments without further processing.

The freight forwarder will retrieve routing information from Digitoll for the consignments that the freight forwarder has reported. The freight forwarder can then pick up the consignments from the ground handler. If there are consignments that the freight forwarder has been informed will undergo inspection, the freight forwarder is responsible for delivering them to the agreed customs location as soon as possible.

If the consignment has been released for the next customs procedure, such as immediate release import, the freight forwarder can proceed to the next step in their logistics process.

Scenario 3

The carrier (airline) submits the notification of transport.
The freight forwarder handles master consignments and house consignments.
The ground handler receives goods at the airport.

In this case the carrier (airline) will report the transport to Digitoll. The notification of transport should include a list of keys to all master consignments.

The carrier (airline) must ensure they obtain key information about all master consignments (typically MAWB) that will be on board the aircraft from the freight forwarder(s), so that links can be established.
The freight forwarder(s) will submit notifications of house consignments and master consignments to Digitoll.
The ground handler will need to retrieve routing signals for consignments from Digitoll so that they can release master consignments and house consignments to the freight forwarder, then there is no need to place the goods in a customs warehouse. Keep in mind that placing goods in a customs warehouse will require a declaration (from April 1, 2025).

Scenario 3
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Digital collaboration

To complete the submission of information and fulfill the notification and disclosure of information obligation in this scenario, the carrier (airline) and freight forwarder must exchange data. The carrier (airline) must obtain the keys to all master consignments (MAWB) that will arrive with the aircraft from the freight forwarder(s).

We recommend that the carrier (airline) makes digital services available so that the freight forwarder can provide this information in a secure and efficient manner. The carrier (airline) can then submit the notification of transport with the list of master consignments (MAWB numbers).

In this case there are several information elements the ground handler need in order to release consignments to the freight forwarder(s). From the carrier (airline), they need the MRN for the notification of transport. Additionally, they need all MAWB numbers for the cargo that is expected to be on the aircraft. They can obtain this information from the carrier (airline), which submitted the notification of transport, or they can get the information from the freight forwarder(s). Once they have this information (MRN for the notification of transport + MAWB), they can digitally present it in Digitoll. The fact that they have presented it digitally allows them to retrieve routing for the consignments when the aircraft arrives.

Arrival, presentation, and routing

Digitoll will automatically present consignments digitally to the stakeholders who have submitted information about transport, master consignments, and house consignments. This means that routing for consignments will be available in a hierarchy, where the stakeholder that submitted the notification of transport has access to all consignments reported on that transport, the one that submitted information about the master consignment has access to all house consignments under that master consignment. A stakeholder who has only submitted information about consignment(s) has access only to the routing of the consignment(s).

When retrieving routing information, the ground handler will receive information indicating whether consignments on the transport have been selected for inspection at the airport (border crossing point). Typically, consignments will not undergo inspection at the border crossing point, and the ground handler will then know that the consignments have been released to the freight forwarder. This avoids placing goods in the ground handlers customs warehouse, and the freight forwarder can retrieve the consignments without further processing.

The freight forwarder will retrieve routing information from Digitoll for the consignments that the freight forwarder has reported. The freight forwarder can then pick up the consignments from the ground handler. If there are consignments that the freight forwarder has been informed will undergo inspection, the freight forwarder is responsible for delivering them to the agreed customs location as soon as possible.

If the consignment has been released for the next customs procedure, such as immediate release import, the freight forwarder can proceed to the next step in their logistics process.

Scenario 4

The ground handler is a customs representative and handles transportation on behalf of the carrier (airline).
The freight forwarder handles the master consignment and house consignment.
A road transporter picks up the goods up from the ground handler on behalf of the freight forwarder.
 This is the same as scenario 2, but here, there is a third-party road transporter picking up the consignments from the ground handler.

In this case, there will be a need for digital collaboration between the freight forwarder and the road transporter, so that the road transporter can efficiently obtain the list of MAWBs to be picked up from the ground handler.
The other steps should be similar to scenario 2.

Scenario 4
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Scenario 5

The carrier (airline)issues MAWB and submits notification of transport and master consignment(s).
The freight forwarder handles the house consignment(s).
The ground handler receives goods at the airport.

The carrier (airline) will report the transport to Digitoll. The notification of transport should include a list of keys to all master consignments. The carrier (airline) submits notification of master consignment(s) and links them to the transport in the notification of transport.

This is based on the hypothesis that the carrier (airline) issues the MAWB (master consignment) and provides the key for the MAWB number to the freight forwarder. The freight forwarder(s) submits notification of house consignments and master consignments to Digitoll.

The ground handler will need to retrieve routing signals for consignments from Digitoll so that they can release master consignments and house consignments to the freight forwarder, then there is no need to place the goods in a customs warehouse. Keep in mind that placing goods in a customs warehouse will require a declaration (from April 1, 2025).

Scenario 5
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Digital collaboration

To complete the submission of information and fulfill the notification and disclosure of information obligation in this scenario, the carrier (airline) and freight forwarder must exchange data. The carrier (airline)must provide the keys to all master consignments (MAWB) that will arrive with the aircraft to the freight forwarder(s).
For digital collaboration, the carrier (airline) must make the MAWBs available to the freight forwarder, for example, through a digital service. The freight forwarder must receive the correct keys (MAWB numbers) for the master consignments they are referring to in their house consignments when submitting them to Digitoll.

For the ground handler to release consignments to the freight forwarders in this case, there are several information elements they depend on having available. From the carrier (airline), they need, at a minimum, the MRN for the notification of transport. Additionally, the ground handler needs all MAWB numbers that are reported to be in the expected load on the aircraft. They can obtain this information from the carrier. Once they have this information (MRN for the notification of transport + MAWB), they can digitally present it to Digitoll. The fact that they have presented it digitally allows them to retrieve routing for the consignments when the aircraft arrives.

Arrival presentation and routing

See scenario 3.

Scenario 6

Ground handler is a customs representative and handles transportation on behalf of the carrier.
Freight forwarder handles the master consignment and house consignment.
Cargo owner handles the next customs procedure (declaration).

Here, the ground handler will report the transport to Digitoll on behalf of the carrier (airline). The notification of transport should include a list of keys to all master consignments. If the aircraft in question comes from a country outside the EU security zone, a pre-notification must be sent through ICS2. The ground handler must then ensure to obtain key information about all master consignments (typically MAWB) that will be on board the aircraft from the freight forwarder, so that linkage can be established.

The cargo owner submits a declaration in TVINN for immdiate release import (or other relevant customs procedure).

The freight forwarder sends messages about house consignments, including a link to the declaration in TVINN, and master consignments to Digitoll.

The ground handler will need to retrieve routing signals for consignments from Digitoll so that they can release master consignments and house consignments to the freight forwarder, then there is no need to place the goods in a customs warehouse. Keep in mind that placing goods in a customs warehouse will require a declaration (from April 1, 2025).

Scenario 6
Click for larger picture

Digital collaboration

For the freight forwarder to be able to submit a complete notification of consignments, the cargo owner must convey the key to the declaration to the freight forwarder. To complete the submission of information and fulfill the notification and disclosure of information obligation in this scenario, the ground handler and freight forwarder must exchange data. The ground handler must acquire the keys to all master consignments (MAWB) that will arrive with the aircraft from the freight forwarder.
We recommend that the ground handler makes digital services available so that the freight forwarder can provide this information in a secure and efficient manner. The ground handler can then submit a notification of transport with the list of master consignments (MAWB numbers).

Arrival, presentation, and routing

Digitoll will automatically present consignments digitally to the stakeholders who have submitted information about transport, master consignments, and house consignments. This means that routing for consignments will be available in a hierarchy, where the stakeholder that submitted the notification of transport has access to all consignments reported on that transport, the one that submitted information about the master consignment has access to all house consignments under that master consignment. A stakeholder which has only submitted information about house consignment(s) has access only to the routing of the house consignment(s).

When retrieving routing information, the ground handler will receive information indicating whether consignments on the transport have been selected for inspection at the airport (border crossing point). Typically, consignments will not undergo inspection at the border crossing point, and the ground handler will then know that the consignments have been released to the freight forwarder. This avoids placing goods in the ground handlers customs warehouse, and the freight forwarder can retrieve the consignments without further processing.

The freight forwarder will retrieve routing information from Digitoll for the consignments that the freight forwarder has reported. The freight forwarder can then pick up the consignments from the ground handler. If there are consignments that the freight forwarder has been informed will undergo inspection, the freight forwarder is responsible for delivering them to the agreed customs location as soon as possible.

If the consignment has been released for the next customs procedure, such as immediate release import, the freight forwarder can proceed to the next step in their logistics process.