Storage and customs
Bonded warehouse in Romania, on the Ukrainian border
A bonded warehouse — antrepozit vamal in Romanian — lets non-Union goods be stored under customs supervision without paying import duty or VAT until they are released for free circulation or re-exported. We operate one at Dornești, in the same yard as our dual-gauge rail terminal.
What the regime does
Customs warehousing is a special customs procedure. Goods brought into the EU that have not yet been released for free circulation can be stored under customs supervision, and while they sit there import duty, VAT and commercial policy measures are suspended.
They become payable only when the goods leave the regime and enter the EU market. If the goods are re-exported outside the Union instead, they are not payable at all.
In Romanian the regime is antrepozit vamal. It is not the same as antrepozit fiscal, which is authorised by the tax authority, covers only excise goods — alcohol, tobacco and energy products — and suspends excise duty rather than customs duty. We hold the customs authorisation, not the excise one.
When it is worth using
- The cargo has arrived but the buyer has not been settled. Store it without paying duty on goods you may re-export.
- Staged release. Clear only the quantity you actually put on the market, when you put it there.
- Waiting on documents. Certificates, approvals or lab results — the goods have somewhere lawful to sit meanwhile.
- Re-export. If the consignment leaves the EU again, the duties never fall due.
- Consolidation. Build up several batches before a single onward shipment.
Why the location matters
The regime itself is not unusual — plenty of operators hold one. What is less common is having it in the same yard as a dual-gauge rail terminal and mobile cranes.
Cargo arrives by rail, on 1520 mm broad gauge if it comes from Ukraine, is unloaded, enters the warehouse and stays under customs supervision. When it leaves it can go onto a European wagon, onto a truck, or straight into transshipment. Heavy pieces are lifted by our own cranes.
The goods do not travel between suppliers or between sites. That is what cuts both the damage risk and the time the consignment is tied up.
What we do not do
We are not a customs broker and we do not give customs advice. Declarations, tariff classification, choice of procedure and dealings with the customs authority go through your own broker.
We provide the authorised space, the record-keeping the regime requires, and the physical handling of the goods.
We also do not hold an excise warehouse authorisation, so goods moving under excise duty suspension need a different operator.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
What is a bonded warehouse?
A customs procedure under which non-Union goods are stored under customs supervision without payment of import duty or VAT until they are cleared or re-exported.
How is it different from a fiscal warehouse?
A customs warehouse is authorised by the customs authority and covers any non-Union goods, suspending duty and import VAT. A fiscal warehouse is authorised by the tax authority, covers only excise goods and suspends excise duty. We hold the customs one.
How long can goods stay?
The customs procedure does not, as a general rule, impose a time limit, but our space is finite. Tell us the expected duration when you book.
Do you file the customs declarations?
No. Work with your broker; we provide the space, the records and the handling.
Can goods arrive directly by rail from Ukraine?
Yes. We have broad-gauge track in the terminal, so unloading and entry into the warehouse happen in the same yard.
Goods waiting to be cleared?
Tell us what the cargo is, how much of it and for how long — we will check availability and come back to you.