Catch vague goods descriptions before the ICS2 filing

Fields

• Goods description
• Commercial invoice line

Questions

1. How does the goods description measure against the ICS2 description standard? Choice

   Judge the description field alone against the standard and the term list in the context. The invoice line does not make a vague description acceptable; it is judged by its own question. Poor spelling, capitals and abbreviations are fine if the goods can be made out.

   • Acceptable Names the physical goods with enough detail for a customs officer to tell what they are, such as item type plus material or use.
   • Too vague Names a broad class of goods not on the list, such as "kitchenware" or "bathroom fittings", without the item type.
   • Rests on a listed term The goods are described mainly by a term on the list, alone or with a broad qualifier that still does not name the item, such as "auto parts" or "garden equipment".
   • Not a description Gives a reference, an order number, a packing or loading phrase, or "see attached" instead of any goods.

2. Could a customs officer tell from the description alone what physical goods are shipped? Yes / No

   Read only the description field, not the invoice line. The officer must be able to name the item, not just its broad class. Yes: The description names the goods clearly enough to identify them. No: The description leaves the officer unable to say what the goods are.

3. What must the shipper add or change to make the goods description acceptable? Choice

   Pick the one change that would most improve the description field. The answer chooses the message we send back to the shipper.

   • Nothing The description already names the goods clearly.
   • Name the item type Gives only a broad class or a listed term; the shipper must say what the items actually are.
   • List the different goods Puts several unlike goods under one word, such as "various items" or "household goods"; each kind must be named.
   • Describe the goods instead of a reference Points to an invoice, an order, an attachment or a packing phrase instead of describing any goods.
   • Add the goods type to the brand or model Gives a brand, product name or model number with no word saying what kind of goods it is.
   • Replace gift or sample wording with the item Uses "gift", "sample", "personal effects" or similar in place of saying what the item is.
   • Add the material or use Names an item type that is still unclear without its material or what it is for, such as "pellets" or "cells".

4. Does the goods description state the item type or its material? Yes / No

   Read only the description field. "Cotton shirts", "steel bolts" and "ceramic mugs" state both. A listed term or a broad class such as "electronics" is not an item type. A class that covers many different items, such as "machinery", "garden machinery", "parts" or "household goods", is not an item type either. Yes: The description names a specific item type, a material, or both. No: It names neither.

5. Does the goods description cover more than one kind of goods? Yes / No

   Read only the description field. Sizes, colours or models of the same item are one kind of goods. Yes: The description names or implies more than one kind of goods, such as "shoes and bags" or "various household items". No: The description covers one kind of goods.

6. How does the commercial invoice line compare with the goods description? Choice

   Compare the invoice line with the description field. The answer tells the filer whether a better description can be taken from the shipper's own invoice before chasing the shipper.

   • No invoice line The invoice line is empty or holds only a number or a price.
   • Adds detail Describes the same goods more precisely than the description, for example naming the item type the description leaves out.
   • Adds nothing Is no more precise than the description, or repeats it.
   • Contradicts the description Describes goods of a different kind from the description, so the two cannot both be right.

7. Do the description or invoice line mention goods that are often dangerous in transport? Yes / No

   Read both fields against the dangerous goods list in the context, including goods inside devices and names that hide the hazard, such as "spare packs" for batteries. A statement that the goods are non-hazardous does not change the answer. This only sends the line to a dangerous goods specialist; it never clears it. Yes: Either field mentions or strongly suggests goods on that list. No: Neither field mentions or suggests any of them.

8. Which dangerous goods hazard do the description and invoice line most suggest? Choice

   Read both fields. Pick the hazard family the goods most suggest, so the dangerous goods specialist knows what to check first. This is a pointer for a person, not a classification.

   • None Nothing in either field suggests a dangerous goods hazard.
   • Lithium batteries Batteries on their own, battery packs, or cordless and rechargeable devices that contain them.
   • Flammable liquids Perfume, paint, solvents, fuel, oils, alcohol or adhesives.
   • Gases and aerosols Spray cans, gas cartridges, cylinders or camping gas.
   • Vehicle parts with a hazard Airbags, seat belt pretensioners, fuel systems or vehicle batteries.
   • Corrosives Acids, alkalis, strong cleaners or wet batteries.
   • Unspecified chemicals Chemicals, reagents or "samples" with no name.
   • Dry ice Dry ice or other cryogenic packing.
   • Magnetised material Strong magnets, or speakers and motors in bulk.
   • Explosives and pyrotechnics Fireworks, flares, ammunition or party poppers.
   • Toxic or infectious Pesticides, poisons or medical and biological specimens.

9. Is the goods description complete and readable enough to judge? Yes / No

   Abbreviations, capitals, poor spelling or another language do not make a description unreadable if the goods can still be made out. A vague but readable description is judgeable. Yes: The description can be read and judged. No: It is garbled, cut off mid-word, empty or unreadable.

Lens columns

acceptability, acceptability_probability, identifies_goods, identifies_goods_probability, fix_needed, fix_needed_probability, states_type_or_material, states_type_or_material_probability, several_goods, several_goods_probability, invoice_line_fit, invoice_line_fit_probability, possible_dangerous_goods, possible_dangerous_goods_probability, likely_hazard, likely_hazard_probability, text_judgeable, text_judgeable_probability