ENS stop words are a list of vague, unacceptable goods descriptions that the ICS2 system (ENS entry summary declaration) rejects. Descriptions like “Goods”, “Parts”, “Various” or “As per invoice” block the declaration. The goods description must be specific and clearly state what is actually being carried.
Download the list (PDF, initial list)
Current status (2026)
The stop-word list is maintained by the European Commission and published on the CIRCABC platform. An updated version applies from 4 May 2026. This update added nine new terms (carrier loading disclaimers) that must not be the sole goods description: "As loaded", "As received", "As loaded/as received", "Load and count as per shipper", "Loaded by shipper", "Shipper Load and Count", "Shippers Load Stow and Count", "SLAC", "SLSC". Validation runs automatically in the ICS2 Common Repository and covers all transport modes (road, sea, air, rail) and all operators lodging ENS, as well as the goods-description and party name/address fields.
Official sources: European Commission: ICS2 and the current stop-word list on CIRCABC.
Why it matters
Stop words exist to improve ENS data quality. A declaration is rejected when a banned phrase is the only description in a field: the same word may be used as part of a fuller, specific description. In practice, rejection means a truck held before the border and a delayed haul to the UK.
How to describe goods correctly
- Instead of “Parts”, “Steel automotive brake pads (HS 8708)”.
- Instead of “Clothing”, “Men’s cotton T-shirts (HS 6109)”.
- Instead of “Food”, “Dry packaged wheat pasta (HS 1902)”.
- State the type of goods, the material/composition and: where possible, the HS/CN code.
Full list of ENS stop words (goods description)
The phrases below are rejected as too vague (European Commission list, illustrative and non-exhaustive; the binding, current version is published on CIRCABC: see above):
xxx, Not available, Unknown, Vegan, Accessories, Adapter, Agricultural products, Aid consignment, Alcohol, All kind of Cargo, All kind of Goods, Animals, Apparel, Appliances, Arms, Articles, Artwork, As ordered, As per attached invoice, Attached manifest, Auto, Auto Parts, Automobiles, HAWB, Baggage, Bags, Battery, Bazaar goods, Biological Substances, Birthday gifts, Bits, Boards, Boxes, Cables, Cars, Case, Caps, Cartons, Charity, Chemicals, Chemicals flammable, Chemicals hazardous, Chemicals non-hazardous, Cleaning products, Clothes, Clothing, Collected items, Commodity, Company names, Component, Consol, CNSL, Consolidated cargo, Consolidated goods, Consolidated, Consolidation, Consumer, Courier, Courier bags, Courier goods, Courier material, Dangerous goods, Decorative crafts, Decorative items, Decorations, Didactic articles, Documents, Documentations, Docs, Dox, Drugs, Drums, e-Commerce, Electronic equipment, Electronic goods, Electronic items, Electronics, Equipment, Exhibition goods, Express, Firearm, Fish, Food, Foodstuff, Footwear, Freight All Kinds, Fresh Fruit, Fresh Herbs, Fresh Plants, Fresh Vegetable, From UPU Postal, Fruit, Fruit products, Fruit Pulp, Fuel, Garments, General cargo, General goods, General merchandise, Gift box, Gifts, Gizmos, Glass, Goods, Granulate, Handcraft, Handicraft, Handling codes, Hardware for gift, Herbs, Home goods, Household goods, Invoice, I.T. goods, Industrial products, Instruments, Iron, Steel, Iso Tanks, Jewellery, Jewelry, Jewels, Joint shipping, Label, Leather Articles, Line, Likewise, Liquids, Fluids, Live Animals, Live plants, Machine parts, Machinery, Machines, Mail, Materials, Meat, Medical equipment, Medicines, Merchandise, Merc., Metal, Miscellaneous products, Misc, Mixed, Model, None, Non-Woven, Odd parts, Oils, Ores, Others, Pads, Package numbers, Pallets, Parcel, Party accessories, Parts, Perishables, Personal address, Personal effects, Pharmaceutical, Pieces, pces, Pipes, Plants, Plastic Goods, Plates, Polyurethane, Powder, Pre-addressed parcel, Printed material, Private things, Produce, Products, Propellant, PVC items, Quilts, Raw material, Returned goods, Rods, Rubber Articles, Said to Contain, Sample, Samples for analysis, Sanitary goods, Scrap, See invoice, See attached invoice, Several, Several goods, Shoes, Snickers, Souvenirs, Spare, Spare parts, SPPT, Sporting Goods, Stuff, Substance, Tablet accessories, Tablets, Technology, Test, Textile goods, Textiles, Things, Tires, Tools, Toys, Tubing, Uniform, Vaccine, Various, Various goods, Various products, Vegetables, Vehicles, Waste, Weapons, Wearing apparel, White goods, Wires, Wooden articles, 2checkout, Please select, Private, Private individual, N/A.
Stop words also cover party fields (consignor/consignee and address), where rejected entries include: Private, Private individual, N/A, Not available, Unknown, xxxx, Please select, 2checkout.
We help prepare correct ENS data as part of the haul to the UK. See customs clearance.
