COSS operating scheme

Goods pending physical check by any of the Services or Customs

Once the response is obtained from all the Bodies affected and it is confirmed that a physical inspection is to be carried out, the Customs should be furnished with a container placement authorisation request, using the "Request for Actions Prior to Release of Goods" (SAPL).

The message will be accepted if there is a COSS notifying of the physical inspection and the response will include the container number(s) to be placed.

It is important to stress that, in order to avoid multiple unnecessary placements, the operator must not send the SAPL message until a response is received stating whether it will be necessary or not to carry out a physical inspection of the possible parts affected. The SAPL will also be sent for customs exclusive red responses, replacing the current Customs notification stating which container(s) will be inspected.

Accepting this message in turn prompts a communication from Customs to the Services involved and to the State Ports Authority. The State Ports Authority will immediately transfer this message to the corresponding local Port Authority in order to trigger the local placement coordination system.

Once the physical inspection is carried out, the State Ports Authority shall update the COSS with this information, confirming the COSS entry, although a second placement may be made in exceptional cases in which the Border Inspection Services require it.