The ELO is a system where all Customs paperwork can be collated under one barcoded reference number allocated to the driver.  One truck or lorry, one ELO barcode. 

This French smart border implementation will be discretionary until the end of August, but mandatory from 1st September 2025.   

The ELO must be created by a pre-designated party or ELO creator, who will hold the responsibility as the one point of contact for creating all Customs regulatory paperwork before the goods begin crossing to France.  Goods are then risk assessed during the crossing and directed to either the Green or Amber lane when they reach France. 

This process is the same for both full and empty lorries crossing into France. 

Actors in the Process: 

ELO Managers:  Responsible for the French Customs ELO account, collating all goods data and relevant regulatory paperwork from the supply chain supporting the goods that are making the crossing. 

Economic Operators: A single designated contact appointed to create the ELO and be the point of contact while the ELO process progresses to import in France.   

Drivers:  Will have one barcode reference for presentation to French Customs.  All goods in the load will be grouped under this one barcode.   

Calendar Dates: 

• Spring 2025: ELO will be released 
• April to August 2025: Transitional phase 
• 1st September 2025: ELO becomes mandatory for goods entry into France 

Note:  ICS2, Delta, G/IE, Delta T and ECS/SDS will continue to be used alongside the ELO and SI Brexit systems.   

SI (Statutory Instruments) Brexit is an interface between the maritime companies’ systems, the existing Customs clearance systems (Delta G, Delta T and ICS), and the existing sanitary IT system (TRACES). 

Users are recommended to become familiar with the new border processes before full implementation in September. 

The French Customs website gives all the necessary details translated into English, with further information translated into 9 languages.   

A link to the French Customs website can be found below: 

Obligatory Logistics Envelope (ELO) - A Key Transition for RoRo Trade with the United Kingdom | Portail de la Direction Générale des Douanes et Droits Indirects 

Slides from the ELO public webinar of the 18th of February can be found below:

Slides from the ELO webinar on 18022025 

A link to a flyer for the Economic Operator can be found here: 

The Brexit border crossing is changing 

A link to a flyer for lorry drivers, with translation from French into 9 languages, can be found at the link below: 

Multilingual-flyer-for-lorry-drivers.pdf