Ahmet Alptekin Kasar
Founder, Managing Director
Updated: 2026-10-21
This guide is deliberately narrow. It is written for developers, contractors and importers in Hungary and the CEE region who bring insulation in from Turkey. Transport modes in general are covered in our intermodal transport article, cost items in our container import cost article (in Hungarian). The A.TR in detail is in our articles on the A.TR movement certificate and customs clearance. Here we go through the steps, the sourced times, the checks before sealing and the checks on receipt.
A shipment in six steps
A road shipment has six steps. The first three happen in Turkey, before and during loading. We recommend settling any mistake at these steps, before loading.
| Step | What happens | Time | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Offer, papers | DoP, CE, invoice, A.TR prepared | full lead time fixed in the offer | EuConX |
| 2. Check | goods, pallets, counts before loading | EuConX | |
| 3. Load and seal | securing, sealing, departure | EuConX | |
| 4. Road transit | Turkey → Hungary (İstanbul–Budapest) | 3–5 days, about 5 on average | EuConX company facts |
| 5. Customs | A.TR, customs declaration, import VAT | typically 2–3 hours (EuConX) | EuConX; Decision No 1/2006; European Commission |
| 6. Receipt | match delivery note and pallets | EuConX | |
| For comparison: DACHSER groupage HU ↔ TR | scheduled road groupage line, not the same service | typically 5–6 days | DACHSER Hungary press release, 13 Oct 2026 |
| Lead time from order (EuConX) | typically 1–2 weeks, not guaranteed | EuConX company facts |
The actual date is always fixed in the offer. The figures above are indicative, not guarantees.
Truck or container: questions to ask
With insulation, price is only part of the decision. How many pallets fit, how often the goods are handled and how long they take to reach site matter as much. We deliberately give no figures here: they vary by shipment and by offer. When you request quotes, it is good practice to ask:
- Dedicated truck: do the goods stay on the same vehicle from the factory to the unloading address? When is loading, and when is arrival expected?
- Container: which port does it pass through, how much port handling and waiting should you expect, and how does it get from the port to Hungary (road or rail)? How often does it sail?
- Pallet count: how many pallets of this product, in this packaging, fit in the vehicle or container offered?
- Transhipment: how many times are the goods moved to another vehicle? It is worth asking who checks the packaging at each move.
- Responsibility: who coordinates with the factory, the carrier and the customs broker? With us, one contact covers the job from purchase through customs.
Sea, rail and road options are described in more detail in the intermodal article.
For comparison: DACHSER's scheduled groupage line
For comparison, DACHSER announced on 13 October 2026 a scheduled road service between Hungary and Turkey in both directions, run through its Road Logistics network. Shipments are consolidated centrally. Groupage, LTL and FTL are available, with customs clearance as an optional service. According to the press release, transit between Hungary and Turkey is typically 5–6 days, and domestic delivery in Turkey generally follows within 24–72 hours after customs clearance, depending on the destination (DACHSER Hungary, in Hungarian).
This is a groupage (consolidated) service, not the same thing as a dedicated road shipment. The two times are therefore not directly comparable, because they describe different services. For smaller quantities, a scheduled groupage line is a plannable option. In either case, it is good practice to have the offer state what the quoted time covers.
Before the seal: what to check at loading
We recommend settling any discrepancy before loading. On our shipments the goods are checked before sealing and loading; our article on checking the paperwork before the seal covers the reasoning. We recommend checking:
- Product name and DoP number: do they match the order? Membranes arrive with their own Declaration of Performance. What to look for on a BK45 DoP is shown in our BBarrier BK45 vapour control layer guide.
- Pallet and unit counts: do they match the packing list?
- Pallet and packaging: sound pallet, cardboard corner boards, continuous stretch wrap.
- Rolls: dry, undamaged, not crushed.
- Securing: strapped down so the load cannot shift in transit.
- Photos: of the load before sealing, and of the seal and its number.
Documents: what travels with the shipment
Depending on the goods, an import may need commercial invoices, transport documents, certificates of origin, import licences or inspection certificates. A customs broker can complete the formalities on your behalf (Your Europe). For insulation, we recommend agreeing at least these in advance:
- Commercial invoice and packing list per pallet.
- Transport document.
- A.TR movement certificate (see below).
- Declaration of Performance (DoP) and CE marking on the product or pack.
The DoP is issued by the manufacturer: as a Declaration of Performance under the 2011 Construction Products Regulation, or as a Declaration of Performance and Conformity (DoPC) under the 2024 regulation. CE marking is affixed after the declaration is issued, and only a product covered by a harmonised technical specification (or a European Technical Assessment) can carry it (European Commission).
Customs and VAT: A.TR, customs declaration, import VAT
Customs union. The EU–Turkey customs union covers industrial products and processed agricultural products. It does not cover agricultural products or coal and steel products. Goods it covers face zero customs duties and zero quotas. For goods wholly obtained or produced in, or in free circulation in, the customs union, the A.TR movement certificate establishes their customs status (Access2Markets; DG TAXUD; Decision No 1/95 of the EC–Turkey Association Council). We recommend confirming the tariff classification with your customs broker in advance.
A.TR rules (Decision No 1/2006 of the EC–Turkey Customs Cooperation Committee):
- The A.TR is issued by the customs authorities of the exporting state at the exporter's request, and endorsed by them on export (Art. 5–7).
- It applies when the goods are transported directly between the two parts of the customs union. Transport through third countries is allowed if the goods stay under customs surveillance there, evidenced for example by a single transport document covering the passage (Art. 6(2)–(3)).
- It must be submitted to the customs authorities of the importing state within four months of the date of issue (Art. 8(1)).
- From 8 July 2024, EU Member States accept A.TR certificates issued electronically by the Turkish authorities, bearing a QR code and without a wet-ink signature (DG TAXUD).
Customs declaration. It is made online (Art. 6 of the Union Customs Code). It is usually lodged by the owner of the goods or a representative, and as a rule these parties should be established in the EU (European Commission).
Import VAT. The importation of goods is a taxable transaction, and whoever imports goods into the EU is liable for VAT on it (European Commission). Duty-free does not mean VAT-free.
On our shipments, customs clearance typically takes 2–3 hours. More on the procedure in our customs clearance article.
- Documents: commercial invoice; transport document; A.TR movement certificate; Declaration of Performance (DoP); CE marking on the product or pack; packing list per pallet.
- Load, before sealing: product name and DoP number match; pallet and unit counts match; sound pallet, corner boards, wrapping; dry, undamaged rolls; secured with straps; photos of the loading.
- Customs and VAT: with an A.TR, industrial goods covered by the customs union enter free circulation duty-free (Access2Markets); the A.TR is submitted within 4 months of issue (Decision No 1/2006, Art. 8); QR-coded e-A.TR accepted from 8 July 2024 (DG TAXUD, 5 Jul 2024); the customs declaration is electronic (UCC Art. 6); import VAT is payable (European Commission).
On receipt: what to check when it arrives
On receipt, we recommend checking:
- Seal: intact, and the number matches the one photographed at loading?
- Pallets: counts against the delivery note and the packing list.
- Packaging: torn wrap, crushed rolls, signs of moisture.
- Papers: does the DoP belong to the delivered product (product name, DoP number)?
- Damage: if any, note it on the delivery paperwork before signing, and photograph it.
- Storage: keep insulation dry and covered until it is installed. Our insulation storage article (in Hungarian) covers this.
The full ordering process is described in our 7-step ordering guide.
Frequently asked questions
How long does road transport from Turkey to Hungary take?
Our road transit (İstanbul–Budapest) is 3–5 days, about 5 on average. The lead time from order is typically 1–2 weeks. This is not a guarantee: the actual date is fixed in the offer.
Truck or container?
It depends on the quantity, the timing and the route. Ask about port handling, the onward leg from the port, the schedule, the number of transhipments and how many pallets of the product fit.
Is customs duty payable on Turkish insulation?
Industrial goods covered by the EU–Turkey customs union carry no customs duty when accompanied by an A.TR movement certificate. Import VAT is still payable. Confirm the classification with your customs broker in advance.
How long is an A.TR valid?
It must be submitted to the customs authorities of the importing state within four months of the date of issue. Since 8 July 2024, electronically issued A.TR certificates with a QR code are accepted without a wet-ink signature.
Is DACHSER's new line the same as a dedicated truck?
No. DACHSER's 13 October 2026 press release describes a scheduled, consolidated groupage service in both directions with a typical transit of 5–6 days. A dedicated road shipment is a different service, so the times are not directly comparable.
Which documents does an insulation shipment need?
Commercial invoice, packing list, transport document, A.TR movement certificate, and the product's Declaration of Performance and CE marking. Depending on the goods, other certificates may be needed.
What should I check on receipt?
The seal and its number, pallet and unit counts, the condition of the packaging, and whether the DoP belongs to the delivered product. Record any damage on the delivery paperwork before signing.
Sourcing insulation from Turkey, with one contact from purchase through customs: contact form · +36 30 485 0258 · info@euconx.com. We reply on the same working day.
Sources
1. DACHSER Hungary: Gyors, egyszerű, kiszámítható szállítást biztosít Törökországba a DACHSER (13 Oct 2026, in Hungarian): https://www.dachser.hu/hu/mediaroom/Gyors-egyszeru-kiszamithato-szallitas-Torokorszagba-31902
2. European Commission, Access2Markets: EU–Türkiye Customs Union: https://trade.ec.europa.eu/access-to-markets/en/content/eu-turkiye-customs-union
3. European Commission, DG TAXUD: Turkey – customs unions and preferential arrangements: https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/turkey-customs-unions-and-preferential-arrangements_en
4. Decision No 1/2006 of the EC–Turkey Customs Cooperation Committee (EUR-Lex): https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX%3A22006D0646
5. DG TAXUD: New A.TR movement certificate rules (5 Jul 2024): https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/news/new-atr-movement-certificate-rules-eu-turkiye-customs-cooperation-2024-07-05_en
6. European Commission: Customs declaration: https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/customs/customs-procedures-import-and-export/customs-operations/customs-declaration_en
7. European Commission: Taxable transactions (VAT): https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/taxation/vat/vat-directive/taxable-transactions_en
8. Your Europe: Customs duties and procedures for imports: https://europa.eu/youreurope/business/taxation/customs/customs-duties-and-procedures-imports/index_en.htm
9. European Commission: CE marking and Declaration of Performance and conformity: https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/construction/construction-products-regulation-cpr/ce-marking-and-declaration-performance-and-conformity_en
10. EuConX: Check the paperwork before the seal
11. EuConX: Intermodal transport from Turkey
12. EuConX: A.TR movement certificate
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