VII.1.2.2.2. Investigation procedure for the purpose of controlling the completion of the regime

Article 49, paragraph 2, of Appendix I to the Convention
Article 310, paragraph 2, of the AE

In the case of ordinary transit, before initiating an investigation procedure, a request for information on the situation must be issued (see section VII.2.5).
If after this procedure the need to initiate the investigation procedure is confirmed, the competent authority of the country of departure will decide to initiate the investigation procedure by sending either:

• the message "Claim for a shipment that did not arrive" (IE140) to the holder of the procedure; or
• the message “Request for Investigation” (IE142) to the declared customs office of destination.

The competent authority of the country of departure may initiate the investigation procedure directly by contacting the declared customs office of destination when, in box 8 of a transit declaration, sufficient information has been entered to identify the recipient/consignee.

The data contained in the declaration must provide the competent authority of the declared customs office of destination with the necessary information to contact the responsible party at destination (receiver/consignee).

Member States and other Contracting Parties must inform holders of the procedure of the advantages derived from correctly completing box 8 of a transit declaration with valid and complete information on the consignee and specific details of his or her address. In this way, the scheme holder can avoid receiving an unnecessary message (IE140).

Contact shall only be established with the holder of the procedure if no proof of termination of the procedure is available at the customs office of departure following the exchange of the messages "Request for status information" (IE904) and "Reply on status" (IE905) (for further information see section VII.2.5) and the sending of the message "Request for investigation" (IE142) to the declared customs office of destination (for further information see section VII.3.4.4).

Note: Depending on the interpretation of "sufficient information", the decision on the form and place of initiation of the investigation procedure will be left to the discretion of the competent authority of the country of departure.