The EORI number (Economic Operator Registration and Identification)

The European regulation provides for the attribution of a unique Community identification number to be used by economic operators abroad.

The Member States have decided to set up a system to secure trade entering and leaving the European Union

This is the objective of the "security amendment" to the Community Customs Code which, by amending the Community Customs Code and its implementing provisions, has established a Community database, making it possible to identify, by means of a unique number, each economic operator having relations with the customs administrations of the European Union (EU), or carrying out activities covered by the customs legislation

Presentation of the EORI number

Regulation (EC) 312/2009 of April 16, 2009 provided for the allocation of a unique Community identification number to be used since July 1, 2009 for economic operators who have to complete customs formalities: this is the EORI number (Economic Operator Registration and Identification).

The EORI number, assigned to your establishment, is based on the structure of the SIRET number according to the following scheme: FR+SIRET.

How to obtain an EORI number (SOPRANO EORI online service)?

The EORI number application is made via the SOPRANO EORI online service. This service offers you the possibility to apply for an EORI number, to modify it, or to consult your current applications in a completely dematerialized way.

There are two cases:

• You have "Customs Operator" status (Customs certification): connect to the SOPRANO online service.
• You do not have "Customs Operator" status: connect to the SOPRANO-Simplified Access online service.

Registration and access to the website.

The use of the EORI number

The EORI number, created by Commission Regulation (EC) 312/2009, is used to identify economic operators and other persons in their relations with customs authorities.
In France, the EORI number is mainly used in online services (electronic declarations) related to the clearance of goods:

• Delta G^1,Delta X Customs clearance : allows the clearance of goods for import and export.
• NCTS is used to place goods under the transit procedure.
• ICS allows for the completion of safety and security formalities prior to import.
• ECS ECS : allows to certify the exit of goods from the European Union in order to obtain the right to VAT exemption on export; ECS also allows to carry out the safety and security formalities on export.

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The registration procedure

The principle: filing an application for registration

EORI registration is mandatory before any customs operation in a Member State.
Economic operators who have never completed customs formalities must therefore apply for an EORI number via the SOPRANO EORI online service.

Different categories of operators must be distinguished

Economic operators established in France

Economic operators with an establishment in France (and therefore a SIRET number) and clearing customs in France or in another Member State must be registered in France.

Economic operators established in another Member State

All economic operators must be registered in their country of establishment and no EORI registration takes place in France.

Economic operators established in a third country (outside the European Union)

In the case of customs clearance in France, the service to be designated on the SOPRANO EORI online service for EORI number applications issued on behalf of companies established outside the European Union is "EORI, AEO, RDE".

Registration in France is only required if the operator is not already registered in another Member State.

Individuals

Individuals who do not carry out any activity related to customs legislation will not need an EORI number and will be identified by the mention "OCCASIONAL".

The French EORI number

• Operators established in France: FR + Siret number.
• Operators established in another Member State: the EORI number respects the structure defined by the regulations implemented in the country where the company is established.
• Third party operators, provided they are not previously registered: FR + ISO 2 country code of the country where the third party company is established + customs number (this number is assigned by the customs service at the time of registration).

In case of doubt about your registration, you can check the validity of your EORI number on ec.europa.eu.

Processing the application for registration

The granting of EORI numbers for French companies is handled by the economic action centers (PAE), which are responsible for the company's headquarters (in the sense of the establishment).

Contact information for the economic action centres

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To register, simply log on to the SOPRANO online service via a customs.fr user account and complete the online form. Important: due to the time required to process the necessary information at Community level, any EORI number issued is active 24 hours after it is issued.

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^{Source : douane.gouv.fr}‍