Poland expands SENT monitoring to clothing & footwear

Poland has expanded its SENT transport monitoring system to cover clothing and footwear, bringing fashion and retail shipments moving into, out of, or through the country under tighter reporting rules.

The revised scope applies to goods classified under CN codes 61 for knitted or crocheted apparel, 62 for non-knitted apparel, 6309 for worn clothing and 64 for footwear. Shipments in those categories must now be reported through the PUESC platform, including either weight or number of items, the value of the goods and a product description.

SENT, short for System Elektronicznego Nadzoru Transportu, is Poland's electronic tracking system for selected goods transported by road and rail. It has previously focused on products considered vulnerable to illegal trade and tax evasion, such as fuel, food, alcohol and tobacco.

The extension to clothing and footwear increases the compliance burden for a sector that often moves large volumes across multiple borders on tight delivery schedules. It also affects businesses using Poland as a transit route to other markets in Central and Eastern Europe, even when the goods are not destined for the Polish market.

Chris Roome, associate director of customs and compliance at Baxter Freight, warned that many fashion businesses could be caught unprepared.

He said SENT requires shippers, carriers and drivers to report cargo movements via the PUESC platform, primarily to combat illegal trade and counterfeit goods.

Until now, the system has focused on higher-risk goods linked to tax evasion, such as fuel, food products, alcohol and tobacco. Its scope is now widening into the fashion and textiles sector.

Roome said this marks a notable shift because it brings a high-volume, fast-moving sector into a system previously focused on excise goods. Many retailers and importers will not have had to deal with SENT before, creating a real risk of early non-compliance.

He added that penalties can be significant and may in some cases be calculated as a percentage of the value of the goods. A bigger concern for retailers, however, may be disruption, as non-compliant shipments can be stopped at inspection points, affecting stock availability and delivery timelines.

Roome also noted that responsibility does not rest solely with importers. Suppliers, carriers and drivers all have roles to play in avoiding delays or penalties.

For businesses that rely on Poland as a logistics hub, he said adapting to the new requirements will require supply chain coordination, clear communication between partners and robust internal checks before goods move.

Registration steps

Businesses covered by the rules must also complete administrative steps before moving affected goods. These include registering on the PUESC system, appointing a named contact and obtaining a Polish identification number through a vetting process with the Polish authorities.

Roome said businesses may need support from an approved third party during that process, and those providers can be found on the PUESC website.

He added that companies using a freight provider will need to sign a power of attorney to allow the provider to act on their behalf in customs matters.

The change adds a new layer of scrutiny to a trade route widely used by apparel and footwear companies serving Europe, with penalties and shipment stoppages among the immediate risks for operators that fail to meet the reporting requirements.