– The EU, UK, Norway, and Switzerland to become among the first countries to mandate digital carnets, ending the paper documents live events productions have relied on for decades –
LONDON, April 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — EFM Global, a leading international logistics consultant specialising in complex projects, is urging event organizers, touring productions, and sports federations to begin transition preparations now, ahead of the June 1, 2026 launch of the eATA digital carnet system across the European Union, United Kingdom, Norway, and Switzerland. The shift marks the formal end of the paper-based ATA carnet for cross-border equipment movement in Europe and opens a new operational era for every industry that moves professional equipment across international borders on a time-sensitive schedule.
On June 1, customs authorities across the participating territories will begin processing ATA carnets electronically through the International Chamber of Commerce’s (ICC) eATA platform. The paper booklet that has long served as the “passport for goods” will be replaced by a secure digital system built on QR codes, mobile applications, and real-time border validation. Each carnet generates a unique QR code that customs officers can scan directly from their own ICC-developed interface. No physical document changes hands. No counterfoils are stamped by hand. The full lifecycle of the carnet, from issuance to return, is managed on a single centralized platform accessible to every party in the transaction.
“Digital Carnets don’t change the rules, but they significantly reduce the risk of human error, lost documents, and delayed sign-offs,” said Ben Silas, Group CCO, EFM Global. “The physical booklet disappears. What remains is the same legal framework, now running through a system that gives every team member, customs officer, and logistics manager access to the same real-time record. Digital systems give teams fewer excuses for getting it wrong.”
EFM Global has been at the forefront of this shift since November 2023, when the company partnered with Business West and UKNATACO on the world’s first completed digital ATA carnet journey. The mission: Transport camera equipment from London’s Heathrow Airport to Brussels and back, using a fully digital carnet for the first time. Customs officers scanned QR codes. Digital stamps replaced physical counterfoils. What previously required suitcases of paper documentation was handled entirely through a mobile device. The journey succeeded without incident.
“The digital carnet is a massive step for international freight,” continued Silas. “It will make the system quicker, more efficient, and we were determined to be involved with the first, ground-breaking shipment using that technology.”
What that 2023 pilot proved is now the operational standard every European-facing production must meet. For the live events industry specifically, the stakes are significant. A touring music production moving staging and audio equipment across five European countries, an international sports federation shipping broadcast infrastructure for a major competition, or a trade show exhibitor transporting prototypes and professional tools across EU borders faces the same carnet requirement. Under the old paper system, a single misfiled counterfoil or lost booklet triggered customs holds, duty assessments, and delays that could compromise an entire event. Penalties for arriving at a border without valid documentation have reached 10 percent of the declared value of goods.
The transition will not be instantaneous. During the changeover period, paper and digital carnets will coexist as customs authorities complete their individual readiness rollouts, with the ICC targeting full global transition by the end of 2027. The United States is expected to join the eATA system in the second half of 2026. That coexistence window does not reduce the urgency for European-facing operations. Any organization planning a production, tour, exhibition, or sporting event moving equipment through EU customs after June 1 needs to understand the new digital process before that date arrives.
The sectors with the most immediate exposure include live music touring, international sports competitions, broadcast and film production, trade shows, and major exhibitions. ATA carnets are accepted in more than 80 countries, cover 38 categories of professional goods, and are valid for up to 12 months, making them the standard instrument for virtually any organization moving professional equipment across borders on a temporary basis. From the instruments carried by a touring orchestra to the lighting rigs assembled for a stadium concert, the carnet is the document that keeps cross-border production moving.
For more information about EFM Global’s digital carnet services and eATA transition support, visit efm.global.
About EFM Global
Founded 25 years ago, EFM Global is a specialist logistics company dedicated to live events, exhibitions, sports and entertainment logistics. With offices and agency partners across Europe, the Middle East, North America and Australia, EFM delivers complex logistics projects worldwide with precision and care. The company’s expertise ranges from international freight forwarding, customs clearance and site management to sustainable logistics solutions, serving clients such as major museums, touring exhibitions, global sporting events and government institutions.
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EFM Global
