EORI has been the firm identifier for EU customs since 2009. Without it you cannot submit a customs declaration, ship equipment to a tender site, or claim a VAT refund.
Why does a non-EU firm need one?
- Exporting to the EU: your buyer needs your EORI at customs
- Logistics for a tender-related material or equipment shipment
- Filing a VAT refund
- Selling on Amazon FBA / similar platforms without an EU branch
Where to get it
A non-EU firm must register at 'the first EU customs it enters.' Fastest route: Germany. Reason — one business day, free of charge, resolved by email.
- German federal customs portal: unternehmen.bfinv.de (BÖB / Zoll)
- Form: EORI 0870 (English/German), online
- Attachments: trade registry, tax certificate (translated EN/DE), signature circular
- Turnaround: 24–48 hours, cost: €0
Format
A non-EU firm's EORI is DE-prefixed, e.g. DE0000123456789. It's valid across all 27 EU members — you use the same DE… number in France or Poland.
FAQ
- Address changes — update by email, free
- Do I need an EU branch? No, just the EORI registration
- Don't confuse it with VAT — a tender often requires both
- EORI is cancelled after 2 years of inactivity → you'd have to re-apply