This page has been automatically translated. Please refer to the French version if needed.
Monday 9 March 2026
SI Brexit - ELO (Obligatory Logistics Envelope) becomes mandatory on April 20, 2026
ELO BECOMES MANDATORY ON APRIL 20, 2026
The COMINT1 office informs you that the presentation of an ELO (Obligatory Logistics Envelope) will be required starting April 20, 2026 for all transport units crossing the Smart Border with the United Kingdom.
ELO is available via your douane.gouv.fr account since April 28, 2025. The purpose of ELO is to simplify, secure, and streamline crossings of the Smart Border for roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) traffic, whether accompanied or unaccompanied, for all transport units. Only one ELO must be created per transport unit (one truck = one ELO).
Starting April 20, 2026, any transport unit using the Smart Border with the UK must present an ELO at check-in. A transport unit without an ELO may be refused boarding by the ferry or shuttle operator or, if allowed to board, may not have its customs formalities processed during the crossing.
Why create an ELO ?
The ELO makes it possible to group together, under a single reference materialized by a barcode, all the information related to your goods, as well as the references for the safety, security, and customs formalities required for the relevant flow. This system aims to reduce processing times and ensure more secure management of customs formalities for both imports and exports.
Please note that neither the formalities processed in the UK IT systems, nor the GMR reference (the UK’s equivalent of the ELO), nor the license plates of the transport units, must be entered in the ELO.
Resources at your disposal
Economic operators can find more useful information on the dedicated webpage, available in English and French: douane.gouv.fr/ELO
Recent updates on the ELO page include: the user guide and an update of the note on the procedures for submitting ENS at the Brexit Smart Border.
Operators experiencing difficulties when creating their ELO are invited to open an OLGA assistance request. You can write your help request in English or French : Outil en ligne de gestion de l'assistance (OLGA) | Portail de la Direction Générale des Douanes et Droits Indirects