Systems and parties
DMS, NCTS, DECO, TRACES-NT, Portbase, the DTV: the Dutch customs chain is a collection of systems that each want their own data. Here you find what each system does and which party is responsible for what.
- DMSDMS is the Dutch Customs Management System in which you file import and export declarations. It is the successor to AGS and is not the same as ATLAS or AES in other member states.
- DVADVA is the Dutch customs system for T1 and T2 transit. Departure opens the transit declaration, arrival yields permission to unload. It is the Dutch application of NCTS, not the EU system itself.
- KCBThe KCB is the Dutch Quality Control Bureau. It inspects quality and marketing standards of vegetables, fruit and ornamentals, alongside the NVWA. Pre-notification runs through the same Dutch channel, CLIENT PD.
- MyTerminalMyTerminal is the track and trace per Dutch terminal. Container status is more current than in Portbase, because the terminal supplies its own data. It is a paid licence, not a customs system.
- NVWAThe NVWA is the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority. It inspects animals, plants and food on import, separately from Customs. A consignment can have been released by Customs and still be held by the NVWA.
- PortalA customs portal is the operational shell in which you collect consignments, complete them and push them into the Dutch declaration systems. It replaces loose spreadsheets and talks to DMS, DVA and CLIENT PD.
- PortbasePortbase is the port community system of the Dutch seaports. Terminals, shipping lines, freight forwarders and Customs exchange cargo data through it. For containers via Rotterdam or Amsterdam a connection is in practice indispensable.
Frequently asked questions about systems and parties
Which systems does Dutch Customs use?
The main ones are DMS for import declarations, NCTS for customs transit, DECO for e-commerce consignments, TRACES-NT for inspections, and the Gebruikstarief with the DTV for rates and measures.
What is Portbase and do I need it?
Portbase is the port community system of the Dutch seaports, with which terminals, shipping lines, forwarders and Customs exchange cargo data. For container cargo via Rotterdam or Amsterdam a connection is in practice indispensable.
What is the difference between Customs and the NVWA?
Customs deals with the fiscal and trade policy handling of the consignment. The NVWA deals with the safety of animals, plants and food and carries out the inspections. A consignment can be released by Customs and still be held by the NVWA.
What is the DTV?
The DTV is the Douane Tarief Voorziening, the data source with the current goods codes, rates, measures and prohibitions. It is the source behind the Gebruikstarief and the place a declaration system runs its checks against.
What is a DMS error code?
A DMS error code is the feedback from Customs when a declaration is not accepted, for example because a data element is missing or an authorisation does not match. The code points at the element that is wrong, not always at the underlying cause.