EORI is the number under which EU customs authorities record everyone who imports, exports or moves goods under customs supervision. The abbreviation stands for Economic Operators Registration and Identification.
In brief
- An EORI number is mandatory for import, export and transit.
- It is assigned once and is valid in all Member States.
- It consists of the code of the issuing country and up to 15 characters.
- A non-EU operator must register before its first customs operation in the EU.
Who needs it
- Every economic operator established in the customs territory of the EU that carries out activities covered by customs legislation.
- An operator established outside the EU when it lodges a customs declaration or an entry or exit summary declaration in the EU, or when it acts as a carrier.
- Other persons where EU or national law requires it.
Where to apply
- An EU operator applies to the customs authority of the country where it is established. In Slovakia the registering body is the Financial Directorate, in Czechia the Customs Administration.
- A non-EU operator with no establishment in the EU applies in the Member State where it intends to carry out its first customs operation.
- The application is lodged on an electronic form.
Where the number is used
- in customs declarations and summary declarations,
- in applications for customs authorisations and decisions, including Binding Tariff Information,
- for access to the EU's electronic customs systems.
How to check a number
The validity of any EORI number can be checked in the Commission's public database. It shows the operator's name and address only if the operator agreed to publication.
What is often confused
- EORI is not a VAT identification number. They are two separate registrations: one for customs, the other for tax.
- One operator has one EORI number, even with establishments in several Member States.
- A number with the prefix GB, issued by the United Kingdom, has not been valid in the EU since 2021.