EORI process
LEARN ABOUT THE EORI PROCESS
The basic element accompanying the import is the EORI system. Every company importing or exporting goods outside the country must have a number in this system. This allows for a significant simplification of procedures and better identification of companies. It is an EU system, which means that the same data will be available in all customs offices in the European Union. How and when can such a number be obtained? How does the EORI system work? Check it out for yourself in the article below.
What is the EORI process?
EORI stands for Economic Operators Registration and Identification. In Poland, it is called the Wspólnotowy System Rejestracji oraz Identyfikacji Podmiotów Gospodarczych. It is one of the components of the EU’s digital environment program for customs and trade in the European Union. It was introduced on July 1, 2009 and is now in force in all Member States.
What is the purpose of the EORI system?
- verification of the flow of goods within the European Union,
- receiving the necessary documentation for import and export purposes,
- speeding up customs clearance,
- facilitating the flow between EU countries and non-EU countries,
- identification of entities involved in foreign trade.
What else is the EORI process? It allows you to reduce the amount of paper used during import and export reporting – this is the next step in the full digitization of this area.
What is an EORI number and who must have one?
Each EORI number is unique and is awarded for a lifetime to a company that deals with foreign trade. The number starts with two characters specific to the country issuing the number. In Poland, these will be the letters “PL”. The next digits correspond to the NIP number, supplemented by five zeros or the last five characters of the REGON number.
The number assigned to entities from third countries will have a slightly different structure. If the EORI number is assigned in Poland, these will be the letters “PL” supplemented with 14 digits forming a unique number. At the end, the letter “Z” is added. This means that foreign numbers are shorter than domestic ones.
The EORI number is also the SISC ID number, i.e. the identification number for the Polish Information System of the Customs Service.
How do I get an EORI number?
How can you get an EORI number? You can handle the matter electronically with the help of the PUESC platform. You can use a trusted profile or a qualified signature to sign it.
We will now introduce you to the exact process of obtaining an EORI number, step by step.
Step 1. Create an account on PUESC
If you do not have an account at PUESC yet, you must create one before starting to complete the application. Any natural person, domestic or foreign, can have such an account.
Step 2. Register a natural person in SISC
Then you need to go to the Customs Information System to get the SISC ID number. To get it:
- after logging in, in the Services menu, select Forms, and then WRR0001 Registration of person’s data,
- the fields to be completed will be displayed on the interactive form, these will be address and contact details,
- Sign in the application with the help of a trusted profile or qualification signature,
- · to complete the registration, enter the code received by e-mail in the PUESC portal.
To check if the document has been sent correctly, see in the My Desktop tab, and then My Cases and Documents, whether you have received the official confirmation of receipt (urzędowe poświadczenie odbioru). When you receive the SISC ID number, this information will appear in the My Desktop and My Data tabs.
The EORI number is needed by all EU entities that export and import with third countries from outside the EU. If an entity does not have this number, it will not be able to pass border checks in Poland.
Step 3. Registration of the entity in SISC
After logging in, go to the forms in the service menu and select WRP0001. This form is used to register company data. Once again, an interactive form will be displayed in which you can fill in all the available fields.
You can associate a representative with the company at this stage, but it is connected with the obligation to provide the original of such authorization.
There is a ‘customs’ area on the form. It is responsible for assigning the EORI number. Here you must provide information such as:
- type of entity and area of operation,
- NIP, REGON, KRS, VAT EU numbers,
- the legal form of your business,
- main PKD (classification of buisiness activities) code,
- the full and abbreviated name of your company, as well as the date of its commencement,
- registered office and correspondence addresses.
At the end, you will submit declarations of criminal liability for making false declarations, as well as consent to electronic communication and publication of data on the EU websites.
After completing the document, you must sign it and send it using a qualified signature or a trusted profile. You will soon receive a confirmation of sending the document.
If the application is completed not by the owner, but by an authorized person, the application should be accompanied by an authorization and a proof of payment of duties required for this authorization. The fee is PLN 17.
Step 4. Assigning an EORI number
Your application will be sent to the Central Registration Department. Now it remains to wait for its consideration. The number should appear within a few days. In urgent cases, it will be sent not only to you, but also to the office where you check in.
Is it possible to check the EORI number based on the NIP?
You can easily check if the entity already has a valid EORI number. This operation can also be performed in relation to your own company, if you are not sure if you have not submitted an application before.
It is enough to go to the website of the European Commission and enter the tax number in the appropriate place. In the case of Polish entities, it will be the NIP number preceded by the characters “PL” and with five zeros added at the end. This will give you an EORI number. After approval, you will get information whether the number is available in the system.
In the absence of an EORI number, the message “This EORI number is not valid” will appear. In this case, you must apply and obtain your own EORI number. However, if you have already submitted the documents, such a message means that the number has not been entered into the system yet or that there has been some irregularity in the process.
If, however, such a number is present in the system, a short message “This EORI number is valid” will be displayed.
Find out how to get an EORI number quickly
Obtaining a new EORI number is necessary to carry out customs clearance in Polish border offices. This means that any entity exporting or importing goods will have to undergo the procedure of obtaining such a number. This also applies to foreign entities from which you import products (unless they have been notified previously).
If you need support in completing applications for granting EORI numbers and checking whether a given entity already has such a number, contact specialists. Our employees from the Embetim Customs Agency are perfectly aware of how to quickly and safely obtain this number and conduct foreign trade without problems and downtime.
The employment of specialists will not only significantly speed up the completion of all formalities, but also give you the certainty that everything will be correct and that the goods will leave the customs zone as soon as possible after entering the border. Any errors in filling in the application may result in long downtime and delays. It’s not worth the risk!
FAQ
The EORI number consists of the characters “PL”, the tax identification number and five zeros. It is given to all entities that import or export goods outside the customs territory of the European Union. This number is unique and assigned only once to each company.
The EORI system is another element of the information systems of the European Union. EORI allows you to simplify customs procedures, facilitate the identification of companies and allow you to resign from paper documents and applications. It also helps to verify the movement of goods within the European Union, especially imports from third countries.
In order to obtain an EORI number, several applications must be submitted online. It is a free service, and the only cost is the stamp duty related to authorizing an additional person to submit documents. The submission of documents requires a qualified signature or a trusted profile.
The process itself takes several days. However, the complexity of the process can make it difficult to complete all the steps correctly. Especially in the case of entities from outside Poland (which also must have an EORI code). Therefore, we encourage you to take advantage of the help of specialists from the Embetim Customs Agency. Many years of experience allow them to quickly and correctly write out this type of conclusions.
Each entity importing or exporting goods from outside the European Union must have an EORI number. Otherwise, the transport will not be cleared through customs. It should be remembered that the United Kingdom has also not been a member of the EU recently, so import and export from this direction also requires an EORI number.
Only natural persons importing foreign products are exempt from this obligation.
Just go to the website of the European Commission and enter the EORI number in the form “PL” + NIP + 00000. This is the formula for creating a “tax number” or EORI number. After entering the above combination of letters and numbers, you will receive information whether this number is active in the system.
If it does not appear in the EU systems, it means that the company does not have an EORI number, it is being sent or there was some error when entering the number on the website (check again the correctness of the EORI entered by you).