Content updated: · About the tool
Choose the correct reference and tool
Find the ARC in the accepted movement documentation. Do not substitute a customs MRN, a company excise number or an internal order reference. This page helps you prepare the check and links to the Commission’s tool. It does not issue an e-AD or handle the movement in a national system.
ARC Follow-up covers international movements. The Commission states that its data is informational and non-binding, and directs case-specific enquiries to the relevant excise administration.
Sources: European Commission — ARC Follow-up (international movements only)
Prepare the lookup
Compare the documents for the same journey before opening the lookup. A result for the wrong reference may be valid while answering a different question.
- Copy the ARC from documentation confirmed by the consignor.
- Match the consignor, consignee, dispatch country and destination country to the transport instruction.
- Establish whether you have the initial movement details or have been notified of a change.
- Record the result wording, event date and lookup time separately.
- Compare the result with the latest update from the EMCS handling team.
Read the result alongside receipt documentation
The Commission’s EMCS workflow includes a report of receipt after delivery, passed between the parties through the administrations. A driver’s report of unloading is not a substitute for checking that stage in the movement documentation.
After delivery, ask the consignee whether the relevant information was submitted and what response was received. If a result refers to refusal, change or discrepancy, request the precise message and establish which goods it concerns. Do not amend movement data merely from a short public label.
Sources: European Commission — Excise Movement and Control System (EMCS)
Separate missing ARC data from source failure
ARC Follow-up help describes international-movement coverage, delays and potential differences from national-system records. A missing result is therefore insufficient to conclude that a movement is invalid or irregular.
The help also describes limited visibility of export-related stages. Do not read “Accepted” alone as confirmation that the goods physically exited; verify the relevant message with the handling team.
After a technical failure, retry later. If the source returns no data, check the ARC against the original and ask the consignor about the national record. If information conflicts, share the exact messages and reading times with the parties involved. That makes it easier to distinguish delayed information from an issue needing action.
SEED checks the operator
SEED checks excise numbers and the operator’s authorisation scope. It does not replace a movement check by ARC. A positive company result is not confirmation that a particular shipment was received.
For an authorisation question, identify the relevant operator and contact its registration team or administration. Repeatedly checking the transport reference will not clarify an issue about the operator’s permissions.
Sources: European Commission — Excise Movement and Control System (EMCS) · European Commission — SEED on Europa
Prepare a focused enquiry for the EMCS team
Collect the movement document, ARC, latest message, dispatch or receipt date, and a short description of the discrepancy. Poland’s eAD service illustrates that access to messages depends on the communication channel and company representation. A public lookup does not grant that access.
For a movement involving Germany, identify the company’s role and where the action is needed. Send documents directly to an agreed recipient. This gives the handling team a concrete problem to assess instead of a request simply to change the displayed status.
Sources: PUESC — Złóż dokument eAD dla przemieszczania z zawieszonym poborem akcyzy