EAD document

What is an EAD document?

An EAD document is the accompanying document that results from the EU export declaration in AES. It contains the MRN (Movement Reference Number) and key details about the sender, recipient, goods, office of export, and office of exit. The barcode on the EAD enables quick checks at the border. In practice, it is a PDF that you print or send digitally to your carrier.

Once the goods have left the EU and the Confirmation of Exit has been confirmed by customs, the IE599 follows. This IE599 is your formal proof of export for VAT administration purposes.

In the Netherlands and Belgium, many parties refer to the EX-A or EU-A export document. In functional terms, this is the printed version of the EAD with MRN. Terminology varies depending on the country and software, but the role for your shipment is the same: the document accompanies the goods to the external border.

When do you need an EAD?

You need an EAD when Union goods physically leave the EU customs union. Examples include container exports via Rotterdam or Antwerp, road transport to the UK, air freight to the US, or parcel flows to Switzerland. Even in the case of indirect exports, where the declaration is submitted in one Member State and the Confirmation of Exit takes place in another, the EAD is decisive for processing at the external border. If you first use transit with T1/T2 to another EU point and leave the Union there, the transit document accompanies that journey, and the EAD is then used for Confirmation of Exit at the point of departure of the export. .

Please note that the EAD does not give you carte blanche to load without customs status. Your goods must be cleared for export. Carriers and terminals therefore routinely ask for the MRN and EAD before allowing booking or gate-in.

How does it work in practice?

The process starts with a correct export declaration. After acceptance and verification, customs will give permission to depart. You will receive the MRN and can generate the EAD document. This document accompanies the shipment to the customs office of exit, usually the terminal or border crossing. There, the MRN is scanned, the departure is registered, and after physical exit, the notification is entered into the system. Once the Confirmation of Exit has been processed, the IE599 message is generated. This is the final document that you keep in your records as proof of tariff preferences and zero VAT rate.

If you opt for multimodal transport or indirect export, it is important that the correct office of exit is stated in the declaration. If there are changes to the route or terminal, the declaration must be amended, otherwise Confirmation of Exit may be missed. ECC monitors the status of your MRN and makes adjustments if there are any blockages, selections, or route changes.

What is written on the EAD?

The EAD must contain at least the MRN, date of acceptance, declarant and consignor, consignee, description of goods and codes, gross and net weights, number of packages, means of transport, office of export, and office of exit. The barcode is a machine-readable representation of the MRN. Any permits or attachments requested by customs must be attached to the declaration and kept with the shipment.

EAD vs e-AD, TAD, and EX-A/EU-A

There is a lot of confusion between EAD, e-AD, TAD, and the Dutch terms EX-A/EU-A. The comparison below will help you choose the right document.

Use the EAD document for exports outside the EU. If you move excise goods within the EU without paying excise duty, you will need an e-AD. For transit via T1/T2 the TAD is required. If you would like to know more about Dutch terminology relating to export documents, please read our explanation about EX-A or EU-A for export.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

A common misconception is that the EAD itself is the export certificate. This is not the case: only the IE599 confirms Confirmation of Exit. A second mistake is choosing an incorrect or unfeasible office of exit, which means that the MRN cannot be closed. We also see that shipments without a printed EAD arriving at a terminal lead to delays, because scanning or document checks then come to a standstill.

You can prevent this by preparing thoroughly. Submit your export declaration on time, check the route and terminals, and provide your carrier with the EAD including MRN. In the case of transit, it is important to choose the correct procedure.

ECC arranges your EAD and monitors the IE599

European Customs Clearance takes care of your entire export dossier from the Netherlands and Belgium, from declaration to monitoring and delivery of the IE599. We coordinate the route, select the appropriate office of exit, and monitor the MRN status. Do you work with fixed flows or e-commerce? We set up a scalable working method and ensure that documents and evidence are conclusive. You can read more background information on our pages about export declaration and Customs documents.