eATA Carnet: Digital ATA Carnet Live in 30 Countries

Since June 1, 2026, freight has been moving through Europe with an ATA carnet that exists only digitally. Thirty countries accept the eATA carnet, including all EU member states and the United Kingdom. If you regularly take equipment, machinery, or exhibition goods across borders temporarily, this affects your planning and administration. We have already handled several shipments with it in the first few months. The rest of the more than 80 carnet countries will follow towards January 1, 2028. In this blog, you can read everything you need to know about the digital version.

What Changed as of June 1, 2026

On June 1, 2026, the eATA system went live in 30 countries and customs territories. These include all 27 EU member states, plus Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. These countries have notified the ICC and the WCO that their customs systems are capable of processing digital carnets.

For European road transport, the digital carnet has thus become the standard. At the border, the driver presents a QR code from an app, and customs approves the declaration online. The paper booklet that required a stamp at every customs post is a thing of the past on these routes.

The WCO highlights improved traceability, higher data quality, and faster processing at the border as the primary gains. At the same time, this is only the first group. The ATA carnet applies in over 80 countries and customs territories, so approximately one-third of them are now operating digitally.

What is the eATA Carnet?

The eATA carnet is the digital version of the paper ATA carnet, the customs document for temporary import and export. The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) built the system, and the World Customs Organization (WCO) approved the concept in 2016. The eATA system digitalizes the entire lifecycle of a carnet, from application and issuance to declarations, transactions, and claims.

The rules themselves do not change. Your goods still cross the border without import duties and without VAT. The condition remains that you must re-export exactly the same goods within the validity period. This basis is established in the ATA Convention and the Istanbul Convention, as detailed in the Customs knowledge base. What does change is the medium of the document and the way customs processes it.

If you are looking for the basics regarding temporary import and export, you can find them in our blog about applying for an ATA carnet. This blog focuses on what the digital version means for your shipments.

Ten Years of Preparation for This Launch

The June launch did not happen overnight. These are the milestones at a glance:

• 2016: The ICC presents the eATA concept; the WCO’s ATA/Istanbul Committee approves it.
• October 20, 2019: The first actual eATA transport passes through customs in Switzerland.
• Pilot phase: Belgium, China, Russia, and Switzerland test the system at selected customs offices.
• November 16, 2020: The WCO approves the standard form with which countries can activate eATA.
• June 1, 2026: 30 countries accept digital carnets, including all 27 EU member states, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
• January 1, 2028: The WCO’s target date for fully digital carnet procedures worldwide.

During the pilot, the number of actual transports was low, partly due to COVID-19. The ICC therefore supplemented the tests with demo carnets, as the organization described in WCO News. This long testing period explains why the system could launch in 30 countries simultaneously in 2026.

How the eATA Carnet Works in Practice

The eATA system consists of three components that communicate with each other:

• The ATA Carnet Core is the central engine and database behind the secure data exchange.
• Through the customs portal, customs officers verify a carnet and approve declarations digitally.
• The ATA Carnet App functions as a secure digital wallet for the holder and their representative.

The process begins with an online application to the issuing authority. You receive a carnet ID and a PIN code, which you use to download the app. Before departure, you prepare the travel declarations for your entire route. At each border, the driver presents the QR code for the relevant declaration.

This replaces the carnet booklet, but not the rest of the customs file. You still need an EORI number. For the United Kingdom, a GMR via GVMS is also required, which the carrier registers. In the Netherlands, the carnet application is handled through the Chamber of Commerce (KVK). They also arrange the guarantee for foreign customs.

The Advantages of the Digital Carnet

A paper carnet is a fragile document. It travels in the cabin for months and must be taken out of the folder at every border. It requires a stamp from every customs post. If the booklet is lost or damaged, you must apply for a replacement carnet, and your shipment comes to a standstill. A forgotten or illegible stamp can later prevent you from getting your security deposit back. The digital carnet eliminates these weaknesses:

• You do not need to have a paper booklet printed, sent, or returned, saving on paper and shipping costs.
• The carnet is stored in the app, so it cannot be lost or get wet during transit.
• Customs approves your declaration digitally, so a forgotten stamp is no longer a risk.
• Every transaction receives a timestamp, which you can use later to prove that the goods were exported.
• Errors in goods descriptions come to light during the application process rather than at the counter.
• Your representatives work with the same carnet via their own profiles on any device they log into.
• The WCO expects that digital verification will speed up processing at the border.

For your administration, the benefit is that the carnet maintains itself. You can see in the system where a shipment stands in the process. Waiting for a returned booklet is no longer necessary.

Paper and Digital Side-by-Side During the Transition

Customs administrations do not all switch at the same time. The ICC’s eATA Global Transition Plan, approved by the WCO, governs this transition period. During this time, issuing chambers will issue carnets on paper, digitally, or in both formats.

The format you receive depends on the digital status of the countries on your route. If the route passes through even one country that still works with paper, the paper carnet remains active for the entire journey. You cannot set that booklet aside halfway through just because the rest of the route is digital.

At every border, the format must match what that specific country accepts. If your shipment is within the EU or to the United Kingdom, Norway, or Switzerland, it can be done digitally. For destinations outside this group of 30, check what applies when you submit your application.

What Will Change in the Coming Years

The group of 30 countries will continue to grow over the next year and a half. The ICC and the WCO expect more customs administrations to report their digital readiness before the end of 2027. By January 1, 2028, carnet procedures worldwide must be fully digital, which is the WCO’s firm target date.

For your planning, this means a shrinking transition window. Shipments within Europe are already digital. For destinations beyond, a country can switch at any time between now and 2028. Therefore, today’s status says nothing about next quarter’s. The ICC is actively calling on customs services and chambers to join.

Expect your shipments to cross borders using both formats over the next two years. The digital share will increase every quarter.

What You Can Arrange Now

The biggest change lies in the work performed before the shipment. The digital status of each country on the route determines which format must be taken along. Verify this with your carrier or freight forwarder. Also, ensure that goods descriptions and values in your records are correct before you apply. The digital system is stricter regarding data quality than a paper form.

If your shipment arrives at a digital customs office without a digital carnet, delays will follow. In the worst case, customs may hold your goods at the border. This could cause you to miss an exhibition setup or result in a failed demonstration for your customer.

An incorrect format will be rejected at the checkpoint just as firmly as a missing document. The risk is greatest on mixed routes, where you must maintain both formats. Furthermore, the system logs every transaction with a timestamp, including goods that do not return as declared.

EASY Road Transport and the eATA Carnet

In the first few months after the launch, we handled several shipments with a digital eATA carnet. The most important lesson from those trips is that preparation determines how smoothly the border crossing goes. The declarations were ready in the app before departure, and the QR code was scanned at customs.

Our planners arrange the customs formalities for transport to England and the rest of Europe. You apply for the carnet at the KVK, and we ensure your shipment passes through with the correct format. If you are unsure whether your route can be handled digitally, the EASY Roaders will find out for you. This way, you know which format to take before you depart, and that is EASY!

Frequently Asked Questions About the eATA Carnet