The EU portal “Proof of Union Status” (PoUS) is an electronic system provided for in the UCC to verify the Union status of goods. Since 2024, it has replaced the T2L and T2LF shipping documents. In addition, cargo manifests serving as proof of status are also processed through the IT system. Simplifications are provided for companies with authorization as approved issuers.
To issue this electronic proof, your company must have access to the EU Trader Portal.
The system assigns a Master Reference Number (MRN) when proof is requested. This proof is stored in the PoUS database and remains valid for 90 days. When the goods are imported into the respective country, the MRN is presented to the customs authorities so that they can verify the certificate and decide whether or not to grant Union status.
The European Commission does not currently provide an application programming interface (API). Therefore, requests for a T2L/T2LF certificate can only be created manually via the EU Trader Portal’s user interface; alternatively, an upload using an XML or CSV file is possible.
- With Export Filing: ATLAS, you can generate an XML file from an export declaration and upload it to the EU Customs Trader Portal to prove the Union status of your goods via a T2L(F).
Further Information
- General information on the PoUS system can be found on the official website of the European Commission.
- Germany: Proof via T2L or T2LF, commercial documents, or ship’s manifest
- Belgium: MASP: PoUS Update
- Austria: PoUS – Proof of Union Status
Northern Ireland: Businesses in Northern Ireland are subject to both UK and EU customs regulations and must use the EU PoUS system for manual data entry.
See Section 2.6 of Version 7.2 of the “HMRC Transit Manual Supplement,” which provides additional guidance for the United Kingdom in addition to the EU Transit Manual.