Excise Movement and Control System (EMCS)

A shipping port filled with multicoloured shipping containers and freight ships.

Our fully integrated EMCS software solution provides traders like you with the facilities to send and receive excise goods within the EU, submit details of outbound shipments and confirm the receipt of goods with our all-in-one application.

Find out what our EMCS solution could do for you and your business.

What is the Excise Movement Control System (EMCS)?

The Excise Movement Control System (EMCS) is an integrated computerised system for monitoring the movement of excise goods within the EU and the UK. This replaced the paper AAD (Accompanying Administrative Document).

Economic operators engaged in excise duty suspended and certain duty paid movements within the EU and the UK must have an EMCS application to record the receipt of such goods electronically. Excise goods are items which are subject to more regulation during import and export, such as alcohol, tobacco, fuels, and products related to gambling. Therefore, the EMCS is used to facilitate the additional regulations and customs processes that shipments of excise goods require.

Traders should make sure that they are familiar with the processes around importing and exporting excise goods within the EU and the UK and enrol for the EMCS in order to comply with the relevant customs laws and procedures.

Thyme-IT’s EMCS Software Solution

As a leading Customs and Excise solutions provider, Thyme-IT has developed an EMCS-ready solution for all companies involved in the movement of duty-suspended goods within the EU and the UK. The system also caters to any duty paid movements that need to be lodged through EMCS. Our application provides the facility to submit details of all outbound movements and confirm receipt of goods. Our solution supports Intra EU/UK duty suspended movements, Intra EU/UK duty paid movements EMCS imports and EMCS exports.

Our web-based solution provides the facility to record all required information for the submission of an e-AD (electronic AAD), receipt of the e-AD, e-AD cancellation, reminder, and redirection.

We offer free of charge demonstration of our EMCS software. Contact us today to learn how we can support your excise needs.

Benefits of our EMCS Software Solution

With our all-in-one EMCS application, you can:

Easily include all the information you require for your electronic Accompanying Administrative Documents (e-ADs), saving unnecessary admin time and possible mistakes or omissions.
Streamline your internal processes with instant messaging, reminders and confirm receipt of goods.
Feel confident that our specialised software means that all of your shipping documents will be customs-compliant, preventing costly shipping delays or administrative issues.
When you need assistance, our dedicated support team is just a phone call away — no long queues, no bots – just real people!

Our EMCS software solution is up-to-date and compatible with the latest EMCS 4.1 requirements, live since February 2024. The solution is updated on a regular basis to ensure it remains compliant with all customs regulations.

EMCS Software: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Excise Movement and Control System (EMCS) used for?

The EMCS is a computerised system, which monitors and records the movement of excise goods within the European Union and the United Kingdom. This system is only used to monitor goods which have excise duties applied, such as tobacco, alcohol, hydrocarbon fuels and products related to gambling. These shipments are more heavily regulated than non-excise goods and can only be imported or exported within the EU/UK if they are logged into the EMCS.

What system did the EMCS replace?

The Excise Movement and Control System (EMCS) replaced the previous paper Administrative Accompanying Document (AAD) system. The EMCS was launched in April 2010, but the paper AAD system wasn’t retired completely until January 2011, which allowed traders to adjust and migrate to the new system.

The electronic EMCS meant that it was easier to keep records, as there was less risk of physical paper documents being lost or damaged. This also streamlined customs processes for traders and officials, as information could be shared instantly, prior to the dispatch or arrival of goods.

What is EMCS 4.1?

Excise Movement and Control System (EMCS) phase 4.1 was implemented by the EU & UK to track the movement of excise goods (such as alcohol and tobacco) within the EU & the UK. The system generates electronic documents that accompany the goods throughout their journey, providing real-time information on their location and status.

EMCS 4.1 was released live on the 13th of February 2024, as an update to the EMCS 4.0, which was released in February 2023. The key improvements made to the system include better interoperability with export systems, allowing for smoother shipping transitions and customs processes within the EU and the UK.

How to prepare my business for EMCS?

If you own or are in the process of starting a business which requires the import or export of excise goods to or from the EU/UK, you will need to register with the EMCS. Each shipment will need to be reported in EMCS with the correct information.

In order to begin using EMCS in the UK, you must register for HMRC Online Services, and enrol for EMCS. You can find more information on this process on the .GOV website.

To begin using EMCS in Ireland, consult Irish Revenue’s online resources.

Contact the Thyme-IT team today for a review of your EMCS requirements and a demonstration of how our software solution can address your needs. (link)

Is there any EMCS software I can use to send and receive excise goods?

At Thyme-IT, our integrated EMCS software solutions help make the movement and receipt of excise goods simple, intuitive and fast. Streamline your customs processes and reduce unnecessary admin time by using our application to facilitate the movement of duty suspended and duty paid goods. Use our electronic system to create and send electronic Administrative Documents (eAD), confirm the receipt of goods and much more.
To learn more about what our EMCS software solution can do for you, contact a member of our team today, and we’ll be in touch to discuss your requirements.