The customs authorities officially recognize this document of carriage, thus also allowing goods carried to be processed in the simplified common railway transit procedure. Export formalities can be completed directly upon shipment to the EU or EFTA.

In accordance Community legislation on the prerequisites for application, the document is valid in the EU/EFTA customs area as transit declaration T and also in the SMGS regime as a national customs (transit) document. The new CIM/SMGS consignment note can not only be used for wagonload services, but also for Combined Transport.

Using the new consignment note means documents no longer have to be changed at border crossings between two legal jurisdictions, dispensing with a great deal of administrative expenditure: a first step towards being able to provide through service for freight transport with just minimal border stops.

Improved transport procedures

In future, commercial inspections can also be carried out directly upon departure of a transport, thus improving the transport procedure as well as minimizing the danger of wagon downtime at borders.

In a first step, our customers can employ the new consignment note on routes listed in the CIM/SMGS consignment note manual. Agreements between DB Schenker Rail Deutschland AG and our customers have to be altered in order to fulfill the requirements of the consignment note. Further routes are to follow, but in the meantime they can already be released by the relevant railway upon request by DB Schenker Rail.

The voluntary form, which was introduced on 1 September 2006, can be used when both the consignor and carrier have agreed to such.

Should you have any questions on how the CIM/SMGS consignment note is used, please get in touch with your usual customer adviser or contact the CustomerServiceCenter.