If your business involves moving goods between the United Kingdom and France, there is a crucial requirement you need to meet. French Customs has made the Obligatory Logistics Envelope (ELO) mandatory since 20 April 2026 (from midnight UTC).
Here is everything you need to know about this key transition for RoRo (Roll-on/Roll-off) trade and how to keep your freight moving smoothly across the Smart Border.
What is ELO?
First deployed in the spring of 2025 (the online service opened on 28 April 2025), the Obligatory Logistics Envelope (ELO) is a digital system designed to streamline customs processing at the UK–EU Smart Border. It simplifies the border crossing by consolidating all necessary information and declarative formalities into a single barcode.
For a fuller guide to how ELO works at the port, see France's ELO: the mandatory port pass for GB–FR freight.
Who does this affect?
Since 20 April 2026, all trucks, whether loaded with goods or travelling empty, must present a single ELO barcode for scanning at the Smart Border: one truck, one ELO. This requirement applies to both imports into and exports out of France.
A truck without an ELO can be refused boarding by the ferry or shuttle company. If it does board, its customs formalities may not be processed during the crossing, and it can be sent to the orange lane to sort them out on arrival in France.
How to access and create your ELO
Getting set up with ELO is a straightforward process, but it does require some proactive steps from transport operators:
- Create an account: You will need a personal account on the French Customs portal (douane.gouv.fr).
- Access the application: Once logged in, simply type "ELO" into the portal's search bar to locate the application. No separate, prior registration is required to access the tool once you have a basic customs portal account.
- Consolidate your documents: Use the application to link all your necessary border documentation into your single logistics envelope barcode before your drivers reach the border. For loaded trucks entering France, this includes your ICS2 ENS, which you can create with ENS Ready.
Get set up before your next crossing
If your business hasn't used ELO yet, set it up before your next crossing. Familiarise your teams and drivers with the system so that any operational hiccups are worked out before they cost you a sailing.
For more detailed information, user guides and training videos, you can visit the official French Customs portal.
Questions
When did ELO become mandatory?
French Customs made the Obligatory Logistics Envelope (ELO) mandatory from 20 April 2026 at midnight UTC, for every crossing of the Smart Border between the UK and France.
Do empty trucks need an ELO?
Yes. All trucks, loaded or empty, accompanied or unaccompanied, must present a single ELO barcode at the Smart Border, for both imports into and exports out of France.
How do I create an ELO?
Log in to a personal account on douane.gouv.fr (create one if needed), type "ELO" into the search bar to open the application, and link your border documents to a single ELO barcode before the driver reaches the border.
