Customs authorities monitor the movement of unaccompanied cash and/or other means across Germany's borders to other European Union (EU) Member States.

Customs officials may request the sender, recipient or a representative of that person to make a disclosure declaration for unaccompanied cash and/or other means that are

• in postal parcels,
• in shipments with courier services,
• in unaccompanied baggage, or
• as containerized cargo

to the EU, from the EU or through the EU. This declaration can be made in writing.

Cash means

• Cash such as banknotes and coins that are valid means of payment.
• Banknotes and coins that are not valid means of payment but can still be exchanged for a currency that is a valid means of payment. For example, it is still possible to exchange German marks or Austrian schillings for euros).
• Transferable bearer instruments, such as traveler's checks, checks, promissory notes and certain money orders.
• Commodities that have a high value in relation to their volume; these are coins with a gold content of at least 90 percent and gold bars, nuggets or nuggets with a gold content of at least 99.5 percent.

Equivalent means include, but are not limited to

• Savings books,
• Precious stones (rough or polished) such as diamonds, rubies, sapphires or emeralds,
• Coins with a gold content of at least 90 percent and gold bars, nuggets or nuggets with a gold content of at least 99.5 percent
• Other precious metals such as platinum or silver