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Knowledge base
Knowledge base
Practical guides on transport to the UK, customs clearance, exhibition logistics and warehousing.
What is in the OTSL knowledge base?
The OTSL knowledge base is practical articles on international road freight: customs clearance and border procedures (SIVEP, GMR, PBN, ATA carnet), transport to the United Kingdom, Ireland and Switzerland, trade fair logistics, warehousing and returns. We cover the real risks and how to prevent them before they hit your cargo.
Articles are coming soon.
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Trailer inspection after clandestine entrants: procedure and driver checklist
A driver checklist after clandestine entrants are found in the trailer, and the practical course of inspecting the…
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UV inspection and UVC decontamination of cargo in a UK warehouse
UV light reveals traces invisible to the naked eye, and UVC radiation lowers the number of micro-organisms on a…
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Damaged pallet repair and rebuilding in a UK warehouse
Pallets shifted in transit, boards cracked, the wrap let go and the load leaned on the trailer? In our Milton Keynes…
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Trade Fair Logistics for Three Counties Showground in Malvern
Logistics guide for transporting exhibition stands and exhibits to Three Counties Showground in Malvern…
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E-commerce transport and logistics to the United Kingdom: returns, VAT and the 135 GBP threshold
Mail-order sales to the UK after Brexit mean B2C and B2B models, the 135 GBP consignment value threshold, GB VAT…
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Customs abbreviations glossary: CDS, GMR, GVMS, T1, EORI and the rest of the border alphabet
CDS, GMR, GVMS, MRN, ENS, EORI, EX, EAD, T1, T2, EUR.1, REX, ATA, LRN, C88/SAD, HS, CN, EIDR, CFSP. We gathered the…
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Trade fair logistics: transporting stands and exhibits to Trondheim Spektrum
Rules for organising logistics of exhibition stands and equipment to Trondheim Spektrum in Norway, including customs…
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Transport to trade fairs in Germany: deadlines, slots and stand logistics
Germany is the largest trade fair market in Europe. We show how unloading slots and hall regulations work, why a…
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Cold storage warehouse in the UK: keeping and handling goods under controlled temperature
The OTSL warehouse in Milton Keynes handles goods under controlled temperature: receipt from reefer trailers…
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Customs clearance for transport to Norway step by step
Norway is in the EEA but outside the EU customs union, so transport from Poland needs the full customs path. Step by…
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Transport to Ireland: direct ferry or the landbridge through Great Britain
You can reach Ireland on a direct ferry from France or drive the landbridge through Great Britain. We compare both…
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Trade fair logistics: delivery to Venue Cymru in Llandudno
Learn how to organise stand delivery and customs procedures for events at Venue Cymru in Llandudno, UK.
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Trade Fair Logistics for Westpoint Exeter Venue
How to organize stand construction and exhibit transport to Westpoint Exeter in England. Overview of UK customs…
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Trade fair logistics: delivery to Yorkshire Event Centre
Rules for delivering booth elements and exhibits to Yorkshire Event Centre in Harrogate, UK customs requirements, and…
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Construction site delivery with crane unloading: how to plan it
A delivery of materials to a construction site succeeds when it is planned around the place, not the truck. We explain…
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Abnormal load transport: permit categories, escort vehicles and clearance
In Poland an oversized movement needs a permit in one of five categories (I-V) and, above certain dimensions, escort…
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The carrier did not show up. What to do step by step
The truck never arrived for loading and the carrier has gone silent? A crisis guide: what to do in the first hour, what…
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Trade fair transport in Poland: Kielce, Poznań, Warsaw
We handle exhibition logistics in Poland: Targi Kielce, Poznań International Fair, Ptak Warsaw Expo. Booking-in for…
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Trade fair transport to Austria: Vienna, Graz, Salzburg
We move stand builds and exhibits to Messe Wien, Messe Graz and Messe Salzburg. Booking-in for build-up and breakdown…
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Trade fair transport to Belgium: Brussels, Ghent, Antwerp
We move stand builds and exhibits to Brussels Expo, Flanders Expo Ghent and Antwerp Expo. Booking-in for build-up and…
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Trade fair transport to Switzerland: Basel, Geneva, Zurich
Switzerland is outside the European Union, so fair exhibits usually enter under temporary admission or an ATA carnet…
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Trade fair transport to the Netherlands: Amsterdam and Utrecht
We move stand builds and exhibits to RAI Amsterdam, Jaarbeurs Utrecht and Ahoy Rotterdam. Booking-in for build-up and…
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Trade fair transport to Spain: Madrid and Barcelona
We move stand builds and exhibits to IFEMA Madrid and Fira de Barcelona. Booking-in for build-up and breakdown, the…
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Trade fair transport to Italy: Milan, Bologna, Verona | OTSL
We move stand builds and exhibits to Fiera Milano, BolognaFiere and Veronafiere. Booking-in for build-up and breakdown…
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Trade fair transport to France: Paris and national events
We move stand builds and exhibits to fairs in France: Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, Paris Nord Villepinte, Lyon…
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The customs tariff code (CN/HS): how to find it and why it matters so much
The tariff code decides the duty rate, VAT, requirements and restrictions on import and export. We explain the…
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Customs warehousing and temporary admission: procedures that defer or suspend duty
Customs warehousing lets you store goods without paying duty and VAT until they are released, while temporary admission…
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CDS: the British customs declaration system that replaced CHIEF
The United Kingdom has moved customs declarations from the old CHIEF system to CDS (the Customs Declaration Service)…
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ENS Entry Summary Declarations for UK imports: who files, when and what
Since 31 January 2025 imports from the EU into Great Britain require an ENS safety and security declaration lodged…
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The BTOM model: SPS risk categories and import requirements for Great Britain
The BTOM model sorts SPS goods into risk categories: low, medium and high. The category decides on health certificates…
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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…
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Transport to the Isle of Wight, Anglesey and Scilly: domestic UK islands
The Isle of Wight, Anglesey and the Isles of Scilly are part of Great Britain, so no clearance against the UK. We…
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Transport to Northern Ireland: the rules of the Windsor Framework
Northern Ireland belongs to the United Kingdom but for goods it works under the special rules of the Windsor Framework…
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Transport to Ireland (the Republic of Ireland): an EU market with no clearance
The Republic of Ireland is in the European Union, so transport from Poland runs with no customs border. We explain the…
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Transport to the Scottish islands: the Hebrides, Orkney (Kirkwall) and Shetland (Lerwick)
The Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland are part of Great Britain, so once inside the UK the transport is domestic. We…
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Transport to Jersey and Guernsey (Channel Islands): clearance outside UK VAT
Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and Sark are outside the European Union and outside the UK VAT area. We explain why…
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