What is SENT and what can the penalties be?

The SENT system was created to control the movement of goods and monitor the transportation of goods requiring “special purposes” on the territory of Poland. These cargoes are subject to mandatory online registration in the SENT system. The catalog of goods subject to monitoring is specified in the Law from the Polish Ministry of Finance. The list of products is constantly expanding.

At first, the following were subject to SENT registration:

• motor fuels and products of their processing
• fuel oils and oils
• products containing ethyl alcohol
• chemicals, refrigerants, etc.

Special purpose goods imported or exported from Poland, as well as transiting through the territory of Poland, are also subject to registration in the SENT system.

Who should submit an application to the SENT registry and what sanctions may be imposed if this procedure is ignored? 

1. If the transportation of goods begins on the territory of Poland, the sender must, before the start of transportation, send an application to the SENT register, obtain a reference number and transfer it to the carrier. In the absence of registration of transportation, the sender will be charged a fine of 46% of the net value of the transported cargo, but not less than PLN 20,000.

2. If the transport of goods begins from an EU member state or from the territory of a third country to the territory of Poland, the recipient is obliged to submit an application to the SENT register before the start of transport of goods on the territory of Poland. The recipient receives a reference number, which is passed on to the carrier. For failure to fulfill these obligations, the Law provides for sanctions for the recipient of the goods - 46% of the net value of the transported cargo, but not less than PLN 20,000.

3. If the transit passes through the territory of Poland, then the carrier submits an application to the SENT register before the start of transportation of goods on the territory of Poland and is obliged to obtain a number for it. For failure to fulfill these obligations, a sanction of PLN 20,000 is imposed, which is imposed on the carrier. At the start of transportation, the driver is required to have a control number or a document replacing the notification. The fine for not having this number ranges from 5,000 to 7,500 zlotys.