Do I need an EORI number for every shipment to the United Kingdom?

The number is needed for every cleared shipment, and after Brexit that covers practically all trade in goods with the UK. It is issued only once, though: the company registers on PUESC, receives its EORI and uses it in all subsequent export, import and transit declarations, with no new applications for further transports.

Is a Polish EORI number enough for import clearance in the United Kingdom?

No. A Polish EORI with the PL prefix works in EU systems and serves export clearance. Import into the United Kingdom requires a GB EORI number, applied for by the British side, usually the consignee of the goods. For DDP shipments, where the seller arranges the import, the GB number has to be settled before the first transport, not at the border.

What happens if the truck departs before the company has its EORI number?

Without an EORI no export declaration can be lodged, and without declarations no GMR number for the crossing to the United Kingdom will be created. The truck will stop before the border and wait until the formalities are caught up, while the standstill costs money and eats the delivery date. That is why PUESC registration should be closed before loading is planned, not in parallel with it.

EORI number: what it is and how to get one

The EORI number is the EU identification number for businesses in customs operations. Every EU company that exports or imports goods outside the Union needs one, including trade with the United Kingdom after Brexit. In Poland the number is obtained through the government PUESC portal. Without an EORI a customs declaration will not be accepted and the truck stands still.

What the EORI number is for

One EORI number identifies a company in all customs systems of the European Union: in export, import and transit. It is issued once, in the country where the business is established, and is valid across the whole Union, whichever border the goods use to leave the common customs territory. Customs authorities recognise the party to a declaration by this number, so the EORI appears in export, import and transit declarations. It is not the same as a tax number or an EU VAT number: the EORI serves customs identification only and has to be applied for separately.

EORI (Economic Operators Registration and Identification): the EU system for registering and identifying economic operators for customs purposes. A Polish number consists of the PL prefix and a string linked to the company. Without a valid EORI number a customs declaration cannot be effectively lodged in the European Union.

Who needs an EORI number

An exporter from Poland: every company sending goods outside the EU, even once. After Brexit this also covers sales to the United Kingdom.
An importer into Poland: a company bringing goods in from outside the Union, for example purchases or returns from the UK.
An exhibitor at fairs outside the EU: temporary export of a stand also passes through customs and requires the company to be identified.

An important distinction: the EORI of the sender and the EORI of the consignee are two different numbers. A Polish exporter uses its number with the PL prefix, while the British consignee uses its own GB EORI, issued by the UK administration. A complete shipment to the UK needs both: the EU number for export clearance, the British one for import. If your consignee in the United Kingdom has no GB number, the import declaration on the other side of the Channel will not be created and the truck will be stuck just as if there were no documents at all.

How to obtain an EORI number step by step

In Poland the route leads through PUESC, the customs and fiscal services portal, within the e-Klient service:

Step 1: a personal account. The person who will act on behalf of the company creates an account on PUESC and confirms their identity.
Step 2: registering and linking the company. The company is registered in the portal and the person is linked to it as a representative, so they can submit applications in its name.
Step 3: the application for the number. After registration an application for the EORI is submitted. The issued number is visible in the EU database and can be used in declarations from that moment on.

The sensible time to do this is before the first shipment, not on loading day. Registration requires company documents and identity confirmation, so leaving it to the last moment is asking for a truck standing under loaded goods.

What happens when the number is missing

A customs declaration without a valid EORI will not go through, and without declarations no GMR number for the crossing will be created. The truck waits, the standstill costs money and the delivery date is lost. We describe the whole border process in UK customs clearance after Brexit, the full paperwork in export documents, and how standstills translate into cost in how much transport to the UK costs.

Shipping to the UK for the first time and not sure the numbers on both sides are complete? Write through the contact form and we will check it before the truck arrives for loading.