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EDIFACT message guide · Customs and regulatory

SANCRT International movement of goods governmental regulatory

The UN/EDIFACT message traders use to apply to national agencies for certificates or permits for imported or exported products, and agencies use to issue them.

Sent by
Commercial operator or issuing authority
Received by
National agency or applicant
Standard
UN/EDIFACT · Batch message
X12 equivalent
No direct equivalent

What is the EDIFACT SANCRT message?

SANCRT is the UN/EDIFACT international movement of goods governmental regulatory message. The directory defines it as a message that lets a commercial operator apply to a national agency for a certificate, permit or authorization for products to be imported or exported. It also lets the issuing authority transmit the certificate or its decision to the applicant and to other authorities.

Typical uses are sanitary and phytosanitary certificates for food, plants and animals, which border agencies check before goods are released.

How the EDIFACT SANCRT message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT SANCRT International movement of goods governmental regulatory message. Commercial operator or issuing authority sends it to national agency or applicant. It usually starts the exchange. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message). 8 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT SANCRT message worksInternational movement of goods governmental regulatory: who sends it, where it fits and what the directorymarks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeSANCRTSENDERCommercial operatoror issuing authorityRECEIVERNational agency orapplicantCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYNo business reply expected2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDsUNB … UNZMessage SANCRTUNH … UNTSTART OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPS+ 8 conditional groups, starting with:DOCPNATDTPACEQDPRCLINAUTBlue box: mandatory segment group. Conditional groups are listed by the trigger segment that starts them; a group is sent only when its data applies.Conditional segments outside groups are not drawn.Structure: mandatory segments and groups in the UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A listing for SANCRT. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.
How the EDIFACT SANCRT message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT SANCRT International movement of goods governmental regulatory message. Commercial operator or issuing authority sends it to national agency or applicant. It usually starts the exchange. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message). 8 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT SANCRTmessage worksInternational movement of goods governmentalregulatory: who sends it, where it fits and whatthe directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeSANCRTSENDERCommercialoperator orissuingauthorityRECEIVERNational agencyor applicantCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYNo business reply expected2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDs(UNB … UNZ)Message SANCRT (UNH … UNT)START OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPS+ 8 conditional groups, starting with:DOCPNATDTPACEQDPRCLINAUTBlue box: mandatory segment group. Conditionalgroups are listed by the trigger segment thatstarts them; a group is sent only when its dataapplies. Conditional segments outside groups arenot drawn.Structure: mandatory segments and groups in theUN/EDIFACT directory D.21A listing for SANCRT.Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.

How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends SANCRT, to whom, and which messages usually come before and after it. The lower part shows what the directory D.21A itself requires: the envelopes around SANCRT and the segments and segment groups it marks mandatory. Conditional groups are listed by their trigger segment rather than drawn in full. This is the directory's minimum, not a trading partner's requirement: a message implementation guide, such as an industry subset or a partner’s own guide, usually makes some conditional groups mandatory, restricts the codes and may use an older directory.

Expand diagram Download SVG

When it is used

  • Applying for a phytosanitary or veterinary certificate
  • Transmitting issued certificates to border authorities
  • Applying for import or export permits

Where it fits in the message flow

This message SANCRT International movement of goods governmental regulatory

No other message routinely comes directly before or after SANCRT; it is exchanged when the business event occurs. If the partners agree, the receiver confirms each interchange with a CONTRL syntax and service report.

Structure

Mandatory segments in SANCRT (directory D.21A)

In UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A, the SANCRT message has 90 segment positions arranged in 21 segment groups. These are the segments and segment groups marked mandatory at message level, in order; a mandatory group is shown with the segment that starts it. Segments inside conditional groups are needed only when the group is used. This is the directory’s requirement, not your trading partner’s: each partner’s message implementation guide names the directory it uses, often an older one such as D.96A or D.01B where the structure can differ, makes some conditional segments mandatory and restricts the codes.

  • UNH
  • BGM
  • UNT

Practical example

SANCRT in practice

A fruit exporter ships apples to an overseas market that requires a phytosanitary certificate. Its system sends the national plant protection agency a SANCRT application with the consignment, origin and inspection details. After inspection, the agency issues the certificate electronically and transmits it to the importing country's authority.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for SANCRT

  • Check which certificates each destination requires.
  • Coordinate inspections with the application timing.
  • Keep consignment references consistent with customs declarations.
  • Follow the agency's specification and any bilateral certificate exchange rules.

How ECOM helps

Automate SANCRT with ECOM

Industry

Food and Beverage

Grocery and foodservice EDI for food and beverage manufacturers, with lot, date and inventory data.

Industry

Trucking and Transportation

Load tenders, responses, status and freight invoices for carriers, brokers and shippers, integrated with the TMS.

Solution

EDI Integration

Exchange X12 and EDIFACT documents with partners and integrate them directly with your ERP.

Compare X12 and EDIFACT, or see answers to general questions in the EDI FAQ.

Related messages

Related customs and regulatory messages

All 14 customs and regulatory messages

Need help with SANCRT?

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