Delta G, the Online Customs Clearance System of French Customs
Since 2016, Delta G has been the main IT tool used by international trade professionals to submit their customs declarations in France. Developed by the General Directorate of Customs and Indirect Taxes (DGDDI), this online service digitised and unified import and export clearance procedures. With the rollout of Delta IE from 2025, Delta G is in its final hours.
What is Delta G?
Delta G is part of the DELTA ecosystem (Automated Online Customs Clearance), a set of online procedures established by French customs to allow operators to clear their goods 24/7 electronically.
Launched in January 2016, Delta G unified two previously coexisting systems into a single interface for all customs declarations related to traditional freight, both for import and export.
The systems it replaced
Before Delta G, two online procedures coexisted. Delta C was reserved for standard clearance (complete declarations filed at the customs office). Delta D was aimed at companies benefiting from domiciliated clearance, directly from their premises.
Delta G merged these two systems into a single entry point. Delta X, dedicated to express freight and postal shipments, remained separate, tailored to rapid and high-volume flows.
How does customs clearance work via Delta G?
The operator electronically transmits the data from their customs declaration to the administration and receives in return the customs status of the goods. Two access modes coexist.
EDI access mode
The EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) mode allows companies to connect their own IT system to that of customs. Declarations are generated and transmitted automatically via software certified by the customs administration.
This is the preferred mode for freight forwarders and companies that handle a large volume of declarations. Exchanges are bidirectional: the software sends the declaration data and receives statuses in return (submitted, under inspection, cleared for collection). A platform like Customeo exploits this two-way communication: it automatically retrieves customs statuses so the client can track the progress of their file in real time, and it pre-fills declarations from the clearance instructions already entered. The software also integrates AI document recognition and assistance with tariff classification of products.
DTI access mode
In DTI mode (formerly EFI, for Electronic Form Interchange), the operator manually enters their declaration on the douane.gouv.fr portal, without any intermediate software.
This option suits companies that perform a limited number of declarations and do not wish to invest in a software solution. The trade-off: each declaration requires manual entry, which increases the risk of error and processing time as volumes grow.
Who can use Delta G and how to access it?
Delta G is aimed at all economic operators carrying out import or export operations in France: freight forwarders, carriers, customs brokers, manufacturers, or traders.
Access requires an EORI (Economic Operators Registration and Identification) number, a unique identifier assigned to any international trade operator in the European Union, and the signing of an access agreement with the competent customs office. This agreement formalises the chosen clearance terms: simplified procedure, domiciliated clearance, method of payment of duties and taxes.
Once the agreement is signed and the access mode configured (EDI or DTI), the operator can file declarations in Delta G and track their processing.
The transition to Delta IE
Delta IE (Import/Export) replaces Delta G to meet the requirements of the Union Customs Code (UCC). By 2028, the European Union will deploy an EU Customs Data Hub, a single platform centralising customs data from all Member States. Delta IE prepares for this transition.
The import side of Delta IE has been in production since June 2025, with the closure of import filings in Delta G on 22 October 2025. The export side followed on 4 November 2025, with extensions granted due to technical difficulties.
Among the major changes, the Single Administrative Document (SAD) disappears in favour of structured electronic datasets, identified by codes H1 (import), B1 (export) and H7 (shipments under 150 euros). The EORI number is also evolving towards identification based on the SIREN rather than the SIRET.
What changes for declarants
Several difficulties have emerged:
- Customs regime codes used in Delta G have not been transposed into Delta IE, causing blockages on certain specific operations such as temporary importation
- Server capacity problems, with validation times going from a few seconds to several hours during peak activity
- A cargo export migration rate that struggles to exceed 75%, and sometimes falls below 60% during slowdowns
For professional organisations such as TLF Overseas, the situation was described as "untenable" during the first weeks. The DGDDI responded by regularly publishing fixes and extending the transition periods.
FAQs
What is Delta G in customs?
Delta G is the French customs computer system that allows international trade operators to submit and track their customs declarations electronically. Launched in 2016, it unified the former Delta C and Delta D systems.
Is Delta G still accessible?
New import declaration submissions in Delta G were closed in October 2025, and export submissions in November 2025. The system remains accessible for consulting or modifying old declarations, but any new operation now goes through Delta IE.
What is the difference between Delta G and Delta IE?
Delta IE replaces Delta G as part of the modernization imposed by the Union Customs Code. The main differences concern the format of declarations (structured H1/B1/H7 data instead of the SAD), operator identification (SIREN instead of SIRET) and enhanced data quality requirements.
Is a convention required to use Delta G?
Yes. Access to Delta G requires the prior signing of a convention with the competent customs office, as well as holding an EORI number. This convention principle also applies to Delta IE. Delta G was for nearly a decade the backbone of electronic customs clearance in France. Its replacement by Delta IE is part of the European trajectory towards a unified customs system by 2028. For freight forwarders, carriers and industrialists, the challenge remains adapting to the new formats without losing operational fluidity.
