The European Union Import Control System (ICS) came into effect on 1st January 2011, a measure by EU customs authorities requiring cargo airlines to furnish them with advance information for all goods entering or transiting through the European Union (EU) including Norway and Switzerland.  This requirement is in addition to the current mandatory requirement of advance reporting to customs authorities in several countries around the world.

This has resulted in airlines introducing an EU Customs levy of € 10-€15 Euros for all cargo destined to the EU, a cost which will be passed on to cargo owners.

Cargo owners are already paying the Airway Bill Fee (AWB) to airlines, which they use to transmit the same information to European Customs Authorities. Kenya shippers council deems it unnecessary this levy unnecessary for information that they already submitting.

With about 150,000 cargo consignments sent to Europe from Kenya each year,  this levy will  translate into € 1.5m – € 2.0m in extra costs to the industry thereby negatively impacting on the Kenyan economy. KSC together with Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya(FPEAK) engaged the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, led their by Director General, Col. Rtd. Hilary Kioko on the matter to seek a way forward.