CUSTOMS DECLARATION
FOR REGISTERED BAGGAGE
Notice to passengers
1. The declaration for registered baggage made by passengers on the green "Customs declaration" form saves them, in so far as possible, from having to report in person to the Customs authorities in the countries of departure and destination to clear their registered baggage, and thus enables them to collect their baggage as soon as they arrive at their destination.
2. The declaration form must be duly completed and signed by passengers and submitted to the railway authorities at the time when baggage is registered. It has the same legal force and effects as the declaration usually required of passengers.
3. Even if this declaration form is used, the Customs authorities retain the right to adopt, as and when necessary, any control measures which they consider necessary in order to prevent abuse.
4. Before signing the "Customs declaration" form, passengers must ensure that the contents of their baggage is as stated in the declaration. In this regard the following should be taken into account:
(a) Anethol : this product is prohibited in registered luggage sent to a station in France.
(b) Articles prohibited under laws on the protection of public decency and morality : such articles are prohibited under the laws of certain countries, in particular the United Kingdom. It is therefore advisable if they lack detailed information concerning the legislation of the country of destination, for travellers not to sign the declaration form if their registered baggage contains articles of this kind.
(c) Species and products obtained from species protected under the Washington Convention of 3 March 1973 : the Washington Convention is designed to prevent a large number of plants and animals from becoming extinct and, to that end, contains rules on the importation and exportation of endangered species. The Convention applies both to firms and to private individuals, irrespective of whether they are engaged in trade, who transport such species from one country to another or simply have them in their possession.
According to the level of protection required, trade in and the movement of such species are either totally prohibited or subject to authorization.
In addition to live animals and plants, the prohibitions and restrictions prescribed in the Convention apply to :
- dead animals, such as stuffed or preserved animals;
- parts of animals, such as furs, skins, elephants' tusks, tortoiseshell, antlers, horns, whalebone, birds' feathers, etc;
- products obtained from animals, such as clothing made from fur, objects (e.g. bags, footwear, reptile skin bracelets, ornaments or accessories of ivory, horn, shell etc); even if such products are for their own use and are transported in either hand baggage or registered baggage.
Detailed information on this Convention and its implementation in specific cases can be obtained either from government departments (usually the Ministry of Agriculture or the Ministry of the Environment) or from organizations for the conservation of nature (the WWF, for instance) :
As the scope of the Washington Convention is very extensive, passengers are urged to consult such government departments or organizations, in order to avoid the risk of articles covered by that Convention being detained or even confiscated by the responsible authorities.