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What does an adequate goods description look like?

Hereafter, you will find an overview from the European Commission with examples of adequate and inadequate goods descriptions. It is not legally binding, but it is an explicit recommendation that is recognized by all customs authorities in Europe.


1004, 1005, etc. (numbers)  Not accepted to be only numbers  
 WPX, .wpx (file extension)  File extensions are not accepted 
 XXX, … (three or more equal symbols or letters)  Not accepted to be only three or more equal symbols or letters 
 “.”, “-“, “ ” (empty characters)  Not accepted to be only empty characters 
 $%^&< > : " / \ | ? * (special characters)  Not accepted to be only special characters 
 !£12 (special characters and numbers)   Not accepted to be only special characters and numbers 

Which two goods should never be loaded together?

Answer: Mentos and Cola.

Now you can learn how to describe goods correctly once they are properly packaged:

List of examples of acceptable and unacceptable goods descriptions

Unacceptable Description - Acceptable Description

Accessories – Bathroom fittings, Lighting and electrical accessories

Adapter – (See other specific examples in the table)

Agricultural products – Oranges, Fish, Rice, Bread

Aid consignment – Blankets, Medications

Alcohol – Denatured industrial ethyl alcohol, undenatured industrial ethyl alcohol of an alcoholic strength by volume of 80 % vol., Whiskey, Rum

All kind of Cargo – (See other specific examples in the table)

All kind of Goods – (See other specific examples in the table)

Animals – Horse, Poultry, Bovine

Apparel – Men's Shirts, Lingerie, Girls' Vests, Boys’ Jackets

Appliances – Refrigerator, Stove, Microwave Oven, Coffee Machines

Arms – Daggers, Machine guns

Articles – (See other specific examples in the table)

Artwork – (Specify which type of Artwork: Bust, picture, bronze sculpture)

As ordered […] – (See other specific examples in the table)

As per attached [invoice] – (See other specific examples in the table)

Attached [manifest] – (See other specific examples in the table)

Auto – Ford Fiesta, VW Polo

Auto Parts – Automobile Brakes, Windshield Glass for Automobiles

Automobiles – Ford Fiesta, VW Polo

AWB/ HAWB – (See other specific examples in the table)

Baggage – (See other specific examples in the table)

Bags (or other types of packaging) – (See other specific examples in the table)

Battery – Lithium batteries

Bazaar goods – (See other specific examples in the table)

Biological Substances – (See chemicals or other specific examples in the table)

Birthday gifts – (See other specific examples in the table)

Bits – (See other specific examples in the table)

Boards – (See other specific examples in the table)

Box – (See other specific examples in the table)

Cables – (See other specific examples in the table)

Cars – Ford Fiesta, VW Polo

Case – (See other specific examples in the table)

Caps – Plastic Caps

Cartons, CTN – New packaging made of carton, Cartons to be recycled, A4 print paper packaged in cartons

Charity – (See other specific examples in the table)

Chemicals – The name mentioned in the ECICS database or the actual Chemicals name (not brand name)

Chemicals, flammable – The name mentioned in the ECICS database or the actual Chemicals name (not brand name)

Chemicals, hazardous – The name mentioned in the ECICS database or the actual Chemicals name (not brand name)

Chemicals, non-Hazardous – The name mentioned in the ECICS database or the actual Chemicals name (not brand name)

Cleaning products – Detergents

Clothes – Men's Shirts, Lingerie, Girls' Vests, Boys’ Jackets

Clothing – Men's Shirts, Lingerie, Girls' Vests, Boys’ Jackets

Collected items – (See other specific examples in the table)

Commodity – (See other specific examples in the table)

Company names – (See other specific examples in the table)

Component – (See other specific examples in the table)

Consol, CON, CNSL – (See other specific examples in the table)

Consolidated cargo – (See other specific examples in the table)

Consolidated goods – (See other specific examples in the table)

Dangerous goods – (See other specific examples in the table)

Decorative crafts – (See other specific examples in the table)

Decorative items – (See other specific examples in the table)

Decorations – (See other specific examples in the table)

Didactic articles – Pencils, Smartboards, Books

Documents, Documentations, Docs, Dox – Passports (or any other kind of documents)

Drugs – Cough syrup, insulin doses, seasonal flu vaccine (preferably INN name for a pure substance)

Drums2 – Empty plastic barrels for packaging, Liquid hand soap transported in drums

e-Commerce – (See other specific examples in the table)

Electronic equipment – (See other specific examples in the table)

Electronic goods – Computers, Televisions, CD Players, Walkmans, Tape Record, Mobile Phones, Monitors, Printers

Electronic items – Computers, Televisions, CD Players, Walkmans, Tape Record, Mobile Phones, Monitors, Printers

Electronics – Computers, Televisions, CD Players, Walkmans, Tape Record, Mobile Phones, Monitors, Printers

Equipment, EQP – Oil Well Equipment, Poultry equipment

Exhibition goods – (See other specific examples in the table)

Express – (See other specific examples in the table)

Firearm – Machine guns, Guns, Pistols

Fish – European Hake, Swordfish, Lobsters, Tuna

Food – Prepared cakes, Rice, Tomatoes sauce, Powdered eggs

Foodstuff – Beverages (See other examples for "Agricultural products")

Footwear – (See other specific examples in the table)

Freight All Kinds – (See other specific examples in the table)

Fresh Fruit – Apples, Apricots, Bananas, Pineapples

Fresh Herbs – Basil, Thyme, Parsley

Fresh Plants – Lavandula angustifolia, Rosmarinus officinalis, Prunus avium

Fresh Vegetable – Broccoli, Tomatoes, Onions, Eggplants

From UPU Postal – (See other specific examples in the table)

Fruit – Oranges, Pears, Bananas, Apples, Strawberries

Fruit products – Apricot pulp, Apple pulp, Mixed fruits pulp

Fruit Pulp – Apricot pulp, Apple pulp, Mixed fruits pulp

Fuel – Diesel fuel, Petrol, Gasoline

Dangerous goods – (See other specific examples in the table)

Decorative crafts – (See other specific examples in the table)

Decorative items – (See other specific examples in the table)

Decorations – (See other specific examples in the table)

Didactic articles – Pencils, Smartboards, Books

Documents, Documentations, Docs, Dox – Passports (or any other kind of documents)

Drugs – Cough syrup, insulin doses, seasonal flu vaccine (preferably INN name for a pure substance)

Drums2 – Empty plastic barrels for packaging, Liquid hand soap transported in drums

e-Commerce – (See other specific examples in the table)

Electronic equipment – (See other specific examples in the table)

Electronic goods – Computers, Televisions, CD Players, Walkmans, Tape Record, Mobile Phones, Monitors, Printers

Electronic items – Computers, Televisions, CD Players, Walkmans, Tape Record, Mobile Phones, Monitors, Printers

Electronics – Computers, Televisions, CD Players, Walkmans, Tape Record, Mobile Phones, Monitors, Printers

Equipment, EQP – Oil Well Equipment, Poultry equipment

Exhibition goods – (See other specific examples in the table)

Express – (See other specific examples in the table)

Firearm – Machine guns, Guns, Pistols

Fish – European Hake, Swordfish, Lobsters, Tuna

Food – Prepared cakes, Rice, Tomatoes sauce, Powdered eggs

Foodstuff – Beverages (See other examples for "Agricultural products")

Footwear – (See other specific examples in the table)

Freight All Kinds – (See other specific examples in the table)

Fresh Fruit – Apples, Apricots, Bananas, Pineapples

Fresh Herbs – Basil, Thyme, Parsley

Fresh Plants – Lavandula angustifolia, Rosmarinus officinalis, Prunus avium

Fresh Vegetable – Broccoli, Tomatoes, Onions, Eggplants

From UPU Postal – (See other specific examples in the table)

Fruit – Oranges, Pears, Bananas, Apples, Strawberries

Fruit products – Apricot pulp, Apple pulp, Mixed fruits pulp

Fruit Pulp – Apricot pulp, Apple pulp, Mixed fruits pulp

Fuel – Diesel fuel, Petrol, Gasoline

Jewellery, Jewelry – (See other specific examples in the table)

Jewels – (See other specific examples in the table)

Joint shipping – (See other specific examples in the table)

Label – Paper printed A4 labels, Plastic labels

Leather Articles – Saddles, Leather Handbags, Leather Jackets

Line – (See other specific examples in the table)

Likewise – (See other specific examples in the table)

Liquids, Fluids – (See other specific examples in the table)

Live Animals – Dogs (Labrador retriever), Cows (Aberdeen angus)

Live plants – Lavandula angustifolia, Rosmarinus officinalis, Prunus avium

Machine parts – Pump, Seals, Engines

Machinery – Metal Working Machinery, Cigarette Making Machinery, Sewing Machines, Printing Machines

Machines – (See Examples for "Machinery")

Mail – (See other specific examples in the table)

Materials – (See other specific examples in the table)

MDF – MDF boards, wooden chipboard for MDF

Meat – Poultry meat, Beef meat, Pork meat, Lamb meat

Medical equipment – Band aids, Medical ventilator, blood sampling syringes

Medicines – Antiviral sprays, Viagra pills, Painkillers, Anti-inflammatories, Mucolytic (preferably INN name for a pure substance)

Merchandise, Merc. – (See other specific examples in the table)

Metal – Iron scrap, Steel tubes, Aluminium wire

Miscellaneous products, Misc, Mixed, Mix – (See other specific examples in the table)

Model – (See other specific examples in the table)

None – (Describe type of goods)

Non-Woven – (See other specific examples in the table)

Odd parts – (See other specific examples in the table)

Oil – Mineral oil, lubricating oil, vegetable oil, palm oil

Ore – Iron Ore, Copper Ore

Others – (See other specific examples in the table)

Pad – (See other specific examples in the table)

Package numbers – (See other specific examples in the table)

Pallets, PLT – Empty wooden pallets, Empty steel pallets for airfreight

Parcel – (See other specific examples in the table)

Party accessories – (See other specific examples in the table)

Parts – (See Examples for "Machine parts")

Perishables – Broccoli, Tomatoes, Chicken breasts

Personal address – (See other specific examples in the table)

Personal effects – (See Examples in the Table)

Pharmaceutical – Cough syrup, insulin doses, seasonal flu vaccine (preferably INN name for a pure substance)

Pieces, pces – (See other specific examples in the table)

Pipes – Plastic Pipes, Steel Pipes, Copper Pipes

Plants – Cut Christmas trees, Tulips bulbs, fresh Lavandula angustifolia in pots, cuttings of rosemary in pots

Plastic Goods – Plastic Kitchenware, Plastic House Ware

Plates – Vehicle registration plates, Iron plates

Polyurethane – Polyurethane Threads, Polyurethane Medical Gloves

Powder – Wheat flour type 00, Industrial icing sugar, Iron powder

Pre-addressed parcel – (See other specific examples in the table)

Printed material – Paper labels with logo, Printed plastic fabric in rolls

Private things – (See other specific examples in the table)

Produce – (See other specific examples in the table)

Products – (See other specific examples in the table)

Propellant – (See Examples for Chemicals)

PVC items – (See other specific examples in the table)

Quilts – Cotton

Said to Contain – (See other specific examples in the table)

Sample – (See other specific examples in the table)

Samples for analysis – Blood sample for analysis, Salt (sodium chloride) for analysis

Sanitary goods – Towels, Buckets, Detergents, Tooth brushes

Scrap – Plastic Scrap, Foam Scrap, Iron Scrap

See [invoice] – (See other specific examples in the table)

See attached invoice – (See other specific examples in the table)

Several – (See other specific examples in the table)

Several goods – (See other specific examples in the table)

Shoes – Men leather shoes, Women plastic sandals, Kids fabric shoes

Snickers – (See other specific examples in the table)

Souvenirs – (See other specific examples in the table)

Spare – (See Examples for "Machine parts")

Spare parts, SPPT – (See Examples for "Machine parts")

Sporting Goods – Football shoes, boxing gloves, surf board

Stuff – (See other specific examples in the table)

Substance – (See other specific examples in the table)

Tablet accessories – Plastic cases for tablets, Chargers for tablets

Tablets – iPad, Tablets Samsung

Technology – (See other specific examples in the table)

Test – COVID-19 Quick tests, Leather shoes (sample), Recycled toilet paper (test shipment)

Textile goods – Cotton fabric in rolls, Polyester curtains, Cotton sheets

Textiles – Linen Fabric, T-shirts (See Examples for "Apparel)

Things – (See other specific examples in the table)

Tires – New car tires

Tools – Hand Tools, Electric Tools

Toys – (See Examples for "Gifts")

Tubing – Copper tubes, Iron tubes

Uniform – Men's Shirts, Lingerie, Girls' Vests, Boys' Jackets

Vaccine – (See other specific examples in the table)

Various – (See other specific examples in the table)

Various goods – (See other specific examples in the table)

Various products – (See other specific examples in the table)

Vegetables – Broccoli, Tomatoes, Onions, Eggplants

Vehicles – (See other specific examples in the table)

Waste – (See other specific examples in the table)

Weapons – Daggers, Machine guns

Wearing apparel – Men's Shirts, Lingerie, Girls' Vests, Boys' Jackets

White goods – (See other specific examples in the table)

Wires – Iron and Steel Wire, Copper Wire

Wooden articles – Wooden furniture, Wooden kitchen utensils

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