EORI stands for Economic Operators Registration and Identification. It is the unique number used to identify a business in customs procedures across the European Union.
The party that needs it is the importer of record: the business established in the Union that lodges or is represented in lodging the customs declaration. Without a valid EORI number no declaration can be made, so a consignment arriving for an importer who has not registered simply cannot be cleared.
Three practical points.
- The EORI belongs to the importer, not to the exporter. A Ukrainian seller does not need an EU EORI to sell on FCA or DAP terms where the buyer imports.
- If the seller intends to sell on DDP terms and act as importer, the seller needs an established presence in the Union or an arrangement with an entity that has one, and that entity’s EORI is used. Check this before quoting DDP, because it is the most common reason a DDP quotation cannot actually be performed.
- The number is issued once and reused. Confirm it at contract stage and record it in the consignment file rather than chasing it on the day of loading.