ELO (the Obligatory Logistics Envelope) was deployed in the spring of 2025 for goods moving at the Smart Border between the UK and the EU. ELO consolidates all the necessary information and declarative formalities for crossing the Smart Border under a single barcode. All trucks (whether loaded or empty) will need to present a single ELO barcode for scanning at the Smart Border, for imports, exports and transits.
Further information, including the ELO user guide, can be found via this link: Obligatory Logistics Envelope (ELO) - A Key Transition for RoRo Trade with the United Kingdom.
Access to ELO
Since April 28, 2025, you have been able to access the ELO application through your personal portal on douane.gouv.fr.
You will need to create a personal account on douane.gouv.fr if you do not already have one. The process to create an account is easy but is only available in French. The following link is a user guide (in French) to create your account on douane.gouv.fr: S'inscrire et créer un compte personnel sur douane.gouv.fr | Portail de la Direction Générale des Douanes et Droits Indirects.
Once you are logged into your account, search for "ELO" in the search bar to find the new ELO application. No prior registration is necessary to access ELO.
French Customs advise you to regularly consult the website Météo des services en ligne where you will find communications related to any ongoing IT issues that you may encounter.
Deployment Calendar
ELO will become mandatory on April 20, 2026.
Updates will be published by French Customs regularly, who state that in the event of an anomaly, operators should first contact the transport company used (rail or ferry).