Read more information about the EORI number and how to apply for one.
Chantal has been writing about logistics topics for almost two decades and has worked for major international carriers.
An EORI number is a unique identification number for businesses in the European Union. It is used in customs matters and contains numbers and letters. It is issued by the customs services of an EU Member State. EORI numbers are there for legal entities, such as a BV. But also, for natural persons with a business - the sole proprietorship. You use an EORI number when importing or exporting to countries that are not part of the European Union. When you have contact with customs. Branches do not get their own EORI number but use the number of the head office. You need an EORI number when you declare or have declared.
An EORI number (Economic Operators Registration and Identification number) is required for businesses importing or exporting goods within and outside the EU. Without a valid EORI number, customs clearance can be delayed, leading to additional costs. Ensure smooth international shipping by registering for an EORI number and avoiding unnecessary complications!
You can compose the EORI number yourself. Start the number with the letters NL and put your RSIN (Legal Entities and Partnerships Information Number) behind it. It is a unique identification number for legal entities and partnerships in the Netherlands. This number is assigned by the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration and is used in tax matters, such as applying for a VAT number and declaring fiscal data. Does your RSIN consist of less than 9 digits? Then put as many zeros in front of your RSIN until the number consists of 9 digits. Do you not have an RSIN, for example, because you have a sole proprietorship? Then apply for an EORI number at the Tax and Customs Administration.
You can also apply for an EORI number at Customs. For this, you can fill in a form. Apply for an EORI number in time so that your shipment is processed by customs. If you do not do this, there is a chance that your shipment will not be imported into the destination country or that your shipment will be significantly delayed. You can apply for an EORI number online:
Apply for an EORI number for Dutch companies
Apply for an EORI number for Belgian companies
Note: applying for an EORI number can take some time and there may be costs associated.
No, an EORI number is not a VAT number. An EORI number is an identification number for companies in the European Union and is used for customs matters. A VAT number is a unique identification number for companies and is used for tax purposes. Both numbers are independent of each other and companies can have both an EORI number and a VAT number.
This is an EORI number for companies that trade with the United Kingdom. Since Brexit, the United Kingdom no longer belongs to the European Union and there is a British EORI number. So there are two types of EORI numbers: a European EORI number and a British EORI number. A British EORI number is similar to a European EORI number, but it is assigned by the British Customs Authority (HMRC) and is only valid in the United Kingdom.
You can read more about easy international shipping on our website. Would you rather speak to our logistics specialists. Then contact us via live chat. Or by calling 085 877 16 56 (Netherlands) or 038 087 099 (Belgium). We are happy to help!
You can instantly check the shipping costs through our rate calculator. Enter the weight, dimensions, and destination country of your shipment, and you will see all available shipping options along with their respective delivery times. The calculator can be used to compare shipping rates for both export and import shipments.
If you need help calculating a shipping rate, watch the video below. Click on the 
button to play the video and the 
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Shipping costs are calculated based on dimensions (LxWxH in cm), weight (in kg), and the destination country. Both the actual weight (as shown on the scale) and the volumetric weight are considered.
The volumetric weight is the weight calculated based on the space your shipment occupies in the plane. The higher of the two weights (volumetric or actual weight) is used to calculate the shipping rate. You don't need to calculate this yourself; our calculator does it for you.
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You can use the discount code PP10 for 10% discount on the transportation costs of your first shipment. You can apply the discount code during the checkout process (instructions).
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Whether additional costs apply depends on whether your shipment stays within the European Union or is sent to/from a country outside the European Union. Below, you can see the additional costs for each situation.
Within the European Union
If, for example, you send a shipment from the Netherlands to Italy (within the EU), there will be an additional 21% VAT on the shipping costs.
Furthermore, if your shipment stays within the European Union, you won't have to deal with any import duties or customs clearance fees because your shipment doesn't go through customs. Please note that the European Union is not the same as Europe.
View here all the countries that are part of the European Union. For example, Switzerland is part of Europe but not part of the European Union.
Outside the European Union
If, for example, you send a shipment from the Netherlands to the United States, there will be no VAT (0%) applied to the displayed shipping rates.
However, there might be import duties levied by customs in the destination country if you send a shipment to/from a country outside the European Union. Typically, customs costs are charged to the recipient. This is known as Delivered At Place (DAP) in logistics terminology.
Customs is a government agency that levies import duties in certain cases to protect the local market. As a company, you can also ship using Delivered Duty Paid (DDP), which means any customs costs will be charged to you as the sender.
If you have any questions about this topic, feel free to contact us. Additionally, you can read everything about import duties, VAT, and the customs clearance process in this blog.
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A customs invoice is a form where all the goods you want to ship are specified. This invoice includes an English description of the goods, along with their corresponding value and weight.
The contents of your shipment must be specified per type of product you're sending to avoid delays at customs. A customs invoice is always prepared in quadruplicate in accordance with customs guidelines.
When is a customs invoice required?
A customs invoice is only required for shipments to/from countries outside the European Union (e.g., Netherlands - United States). If your shipment stays within the European Union (e.g., Netherlands - Italy), your shipment will not go through customs, and therefore, a customs invoice is not required.
Additionally, document shipments are not subject to customs, so if you're sending a document to a country within/outside the European Union, no customs invoice is needed.
Please note that not all goods can be shipped to every country. You can find a list of goods that cannot be sent via ParcelParcel on this page.
Do I need to create a customs invoice myself?
If you're sending a shipment to/from a country outside the European Union, it's mandatory to include a customs invoice with the shipment. We provide free support in creating a customs invoice.
You can easily generate a customs invoice through our shipping platform. The customs invoice will be automatically generated based on the content you specified during your booking.
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You can import just as easily as export via ParcelParcel.
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You can find a list of goods that cannot be shipped via ParcelParcel on this page.
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