What is an EORI number?

EORI is the abbreviation of Economic Operator Registration and Identifi-cation.
The EORI number is used for customs clearance of cross-border trade. It is a necessary EU tax number for customs clearance in EU countries, especially a necessary registration tax number for international import and export trade enterprises and individuals. The difference from VAT is that no matter whether the applicant has VAT or not, if the importer wants to import the goods to the EU countries in the name of import, and at the same time wants to apply for the tax refund of the import tax of the corresponding country, it needs to submit the EORI registration number, and at the same time A VAT number is also required to apply for import tax refund.

Origin of EORI number

The EORI system has been used within the EU since July 1, 2019. The EORI number is issued to the applicant unit by the corresponding EU customs registration, and a common identification number is used within the EU for business entities (that is, independent traders, partnerships, companies or individuals) and customs authorities. Its purpose is to better guarantee the effective implementation of the EU Security Amendment and its contents. The European Union requires all member states to implement this EORI plan. Each economic operator in a member state has an independent EORI number for importing, exporting or transiting goods in the European Union. Operators (i.e. independent traders, partnerships, companies or individuals) need to use their unique EORI registration number to participate in customs and other government forwarder agents to apply for the transportation of imported and exported goods.

How to apply for EORI number?

Persons established in the EU customs territory should be required to assign an EORI number to the customs office of the EU country in which they are located.

Persons not established in the Customs territory of the Community shall be required to assign an EORI number to the customs authority of the EU country responsible for submitting the declaration or determining the location of the application.

How about the difference between EORI number, VAT and TAX ？

EORI number: the “operator registration and identification number”, if you apply for an EORI number, your import and export goods will pass through customs more easily.

If you often buy from overseas, it is recommended that you apply for an EORI number, which will make customs clearance easier.VAT value-added tax number: This number is called “value-added tax”, which is a kind of consumption tax, which is related to the value of goods and the sales of goods.TAX number: In Germany, Brazil, Italy and other countries, the customs may require a tax number. Before we help customers transport goods, we generally require customers to provide tax ID numbers.