ENS stop words (ICS2): the list of banned goods descriptions and how to describe a shipment

Knowledge base

ENS stop words (ICS2): the list of banned goods descriptions and how to describe a shipment

A description such as goods, samples or parts blocks an ENS declaration in the ICS2 system. We publish the European Commission stop words list, explain the rules and show how to describe goods correctly. The list changes, so verify it at the source.

ENS stop words are a list of banned, overly generic words and phrases in the goods description field (and in party data) of an ENS declaration in the EU ICS2 system. A description such as goods, samples, parts or various is rejected, which blocks the declaration and holds the shipment at the border. The European Commission maintains this list in the Common Repository and extends it regularly.

ENS (Entry Summary Declaration): security data lodged before goods are brought into the EU customs territory in the ICS2 system. It requires a credible, specific description of the goods. Stop words are words and phrases considered too generic, which the system rejects for all ICS2 countries and all filing types.
Note: this list may be out of date. The PDF and the list below are the initial version (as of 2025). The full, binding and current list is published by the European Commission on the CIRCABC platform (the ICS2 group, free registration required). Before lodging a declaration, check the current list in official sources: CIRCABC (ICS2 library) and European Commission — ICS2.

Why a description of goods will not pass

The purpose of ENS is risk analysis before the goods even arrive. A description that is too generic says nothing about the contents, so the system rejects it automatically. In practice this means a filing error, the need to correct it and a delay, and on time-critical transport, for example to a trade fair, every hour is costly. The same rule applies to party data: a name such as Private or an address such as N/A is also rejected.

How to describe goods correctly

Instead of a word from the list, give a specific, commercial description: what it is, what it is made of and what it is for. Examples: instead of parts write steel brake discs for passenger cars; instead of electronics write USB mains chargers for phones; instead of samples write cotton fabric samples for collars. A good description is consistent with the invoice and the customs tariff code. More on documents and declaration data in the texts on export documents and the EORI number, and we run the whole clearance within customs clearance.

The stop words list (initial version, 2025)

Goods description (business knowledge)

  • xxx
  • Not available
  • Unknown
  • Vegan

Unacceptable goods descriptions (examples)

  • Accessories
  • Adapter
  • Agricultural products
  • Aid consignment
  • Alcohol
  • All kind of Cargo
  • All kind of Goods
  • Animals
  • Apparel
  • Appliances
  • Arms
  • Articles
  • Artwork
  • As ordered
  • As per attached invoice
  • Attached manifest
  • Auto
  • Auto Parts
  • Automobiles
  • HAWB
  • Baggage
  • Bags
  • Battery
  • Bazaar goods
  • Biological Substances
  • Birthday gifts
  • Bits
  • Boards
  • Boxes
  • Cables
  • Cars
  • Case
  • Caps
  • Cartons
  • Charity
  • Chemicals
  • Chemicals flammable
  • Chemicals hazardous
  • Chemicals non-hazardous
  • Cleaning products
  • Clothes
  • Clothing
  • Collected items
  • Commodity
  • Company names
  • Component
  • Consol
  • CNSL
  • Consolidated cargo
  • Consolidated goods
  • Consolidated
  • Consolidation
  • Consumer
  • Courier
  • Courier bags
  • Courier goods
  • Courier material
  • Dangerous goods
  • Decorative crafts
  • Decorative items
  • Decorations
  • Didactic articles
  • Documents
  • Documentations
  • Docs
  • Dox
  • Drugs
  • Drums
  • e-Commerce
  • Electronic equipment
  • Electronic goods
  • Electronic items
  • Electronics
  • Equipment
  • Exhibition goods
  • Express
  • Firearm
  • Fish
  • Food
  • Foodstuff
  • Footwear
  • Freight All Kinds
  • Fresh Fruit
  • Fresh Herbs
  • Fresh Plants
  • Fresh Vegetable
  • From UPU Postal
  • Fruit
  • Fruit products
  • Fruit Pulp
  • Fuel
  • Garments
  • General cargo
  • General goods
  • General merchandise
  • Gift box
  • Gifts
  • Gizmos
  • Glass
  • Goods
  • Granulate
  • Handcraft
  • Handicraft
  • Handling codes
  • Hardware for gift
  • Herbs
  • Home goods
  • Household goods
  • Invoice
  • I.T. goods
  • Industrial products
  • Instruments
  • Iron
  • Steel
  • Iso Tanks
  • Jewellery
  • Jewelry
  • Jewels
  • Joint shipping
  • Label
  • Leather Articles
  • Line
  • Likewise
  • Liquids
  • Fluids
  • Live Animals
  • Live plants
  • Machine parts
  • Machinery
  • Machines
  • Mail
  • Materials
  • Meat
  • Medical equipment
  • Medicines
  • Merchandise
  • Merc.
  • Metal
  • Miscellaneous products
  • Misc
  • Mixed
  • Model
  • None
  • Non-Woven
  • Odd parts
  • Oils
  • Ores
  • Others
  • Pads
  • Package numbers
  • Pallets
  • Parcel
  • Party accessories
  • Parts
  • Perishables
  • Personal address
  • Personal effects
  • Pharmaceutical
  • Pieces
  • pces
  • Pipes
  • Plants
  • Plastic Goods
  • Plates
  • Polyurethane
  • Powder
  • Pre-addressed parcel
  • Printed material
  • Private things
  • Produce
  • Products
  • Propellant
  • PVC items
  • Quilts
  • Raw material
  • Returned goods
  • Rods
  • Rubber Articles
  • Said to Contain
  • Sample
  • Samples for analysis
  • Sanitary goods
  • Scrap
  • See invoice
  • See attached invoice
  • Several
  • Several goods
  • Shoes
  • Snickers
  • Souvenirs
  • Spare
  • Spare parts
  • SPPT
  • Sporting Goods
  • Stuff
  • Substance
  • Tablet accessories
  • Tablets
  • Technology
  • Test
  • Textile goods
  • Textiles
  • Things
  • Tires
  • Tools
  • Toys
  • Tubing
  • Uniform
  • Vaccine
  • Various
  • Various goods
  • Various products
  • Vegetables
  • Vehicles
  • Waste
  • Weapons
  • Wearing apparel
  • White goods
  • Wires
  • Wooden articles

Party name (consignor, consignee)

  • 2checkout
  • Please select
  • Private
  • Private individual
  • N/A
  • Not available
  • Unknown
  • xxxx

Party address and city

  • 2checkout
  • N/A
  • Not available
  • Please select
  • Private
  • Unknown
  • xxxx

Items marked in the EC document as temporarily disabled: Fish, Glass, Iron, Steel, Metal, Model. Items added from 01.08.2025: xxx, Vegan. The list changes, so confirm the current state in CIRCABC before use.

Frequently asked questions

What are ENS stop words in the ICS2 system?
They are a list of overly generic words and phrases that may not be used in the goods description or in party data of an ENS declaration. Descriptions such as goods, parts, samples or various are rejected by the ICS2 system for all countries and filing types. The list is maintained by the European Commission in the Common Repository and extended regularly, so before use you must check the current version at the source.
What happens if I use a banned description in the declaration?
The ENS declaration will be rejected and the shipment will not pass risk analysis before arrival. In practice this means a filing error, the need to correct the description and a delay, which on time-critical transport can be costly. That is why, instead of a word from the list, we give a specific commercial description consistent with the invoice and the tariff code, for example steel brake discs instead of parts.
Where can I find the current, binding stop words list?
The binding and current list is published by the European Commission on the CIRCABC platform in the group dedicated to ICS2 (access after free registration). General information about the system is also available on the European Commission ICS2 page. The list on this page and the PDF are the initial version (2025) and are for information only, so before lodging a declaration always confirm the current state in official sources.

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