As of September 2025, ICS2 Release 3 is fully operational across air, sea, rail, and road into the EU. Most national derogations expired at the end of 2025. From January 2026, every commercial shipment entering or transiting the EU must be filed under ICS2 — and a valid EORI number is the keystone data element. No EORI, no Entry Summary Declaration. No ENS, no border crossing.
If you ship to or through the EU and you don’t have an EORI, your goods are exposed to delays, demurrage, and rejected declarations starting now.
This guide explains exactly what changed, who is affected, and how to get compliant before your next shipment moves.
What Actually Changed in 2026
ICS2 (Import Control System 2) is the EU’s pre-arrival security and safety filing system. It replaces the older ICS1 and runs in three releases:
| Release | Effective date | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Release 1 | March 2021 | Postal and express air |
| Release 2 | March 2023 | All air freight |
| Release 3 | September 2025 → January 2026 | Maritime, road, rail, inland waterway |
Release 3 closes the loop. Every mode of transport into the EU, Northern Ireland, Norway, and Switzerland now requires an Entry Summary Declaration (ENS) filed before the goods arrive — in some cases, before they’re even loaded.
Two practical consequences for non-EU businesses:
- The consignee’s EORI number is mandatory data in the ENS for EU-bound B2B shipments. Carriers cannot complete the filing without it.
- Temporary national derogations have expired. Throughout 2025, several Member States allowed traders to keep filing under the older NCTS-P5 system. Most of those exemptions ended on 31 December 2025. The transitional grace period is over.
⚠ If your freight forwarder has been quietly absorbing the friction of missing EORI numbers, that ends now. Carriers are tightening rejection rules because they bear the regulatory risk.
Who Needs an EORI Number in 2026
A common misconception: “I’m not an EU company, so EORI doesn’t apply to me.” That logic stopped working years ago. Here’s the actual breakdown:
| Your situation | EORI required? |
|---|---|
| EU-established company importing or exporting | ✅ Yes |
| Non-EU company (US, UK, CN, etc.) importing into the EU | ✅ Yes |
| Non-EU company exporting to an EU B2B buyer | ✅ Buyer needs one — and you’ll need yours filed in ENS |
| UK company shipping into the EU (post-Brexit) | ✅ Yes — GB EORI is not enough |
| Northern Ireland trader moving goods EU ↔ NI | ✅ Often both GB and XI EORI needed |
| Consignee in Switzerland or Norway | ❌ EORI not required (local tax ID accepted) |
| Individual buying for personal use | ❌ No |
The most overlooked group: non-EU sellers using EU fulfilment centres, dropshippers, and small exporters running on platforms like Amazon, Shopify, or eBay. If your goods cross an EU customs border under your name, you need an EORI. The €150 t-shirt order and the €50,000 industrial pallet trigger the same rule.
What Happens If You Ship Without a Valid EORI
This is where the cost of inaction gets concrete:
- ENS rejection at the carrier. The shipment never leaves origin. Some carriers now reject bookings outright if the consignee EORI field is empty.
- Held at the EU border. If the ENS slips through but the EORI is invalid or wrongly formatted, customs holds the goods until the consignee provides a valid number.
- Demurrage and storage fees. Container yards typically allow 3–7 free days. After that, you pay daily. For sea freight, this can reach hundreds of euros per day.
- Failed B2B deliveries. Your buyer doesn’t pay until they receive. A delayed shipment is a delayed invoice — and a damaged customer relationship.
- Repeated rejection flags. EU customs systems track patterns. Repeated EORI errors can trigger enhanced screening on future shipments.
The math is straightforward: a single held container can cost more in a week than five years of EORI compliance.
How to Get an EORI Number (and How Long It Really Takes)
The official route is to apply to the customs authority of an EU Member State. The bureaucratic timeline varies wildly:
| Route | Realistic timeline | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| National customs portal (DIY) | 2–6 weeks | Forms often only in the local language; missing documents reset the queue |
| National customs portal with strong local knowledge | 5–15 working days | Requires a registered address or fiscal representative in most cases |
| Specialist EORI registration agent | 24–72 hours | Application prepared, submitted, and tracked on your behalf |
For non-EU companies, the DIY route adds two extra problems:
- You need to choose the right Member State of first entry, which affects future obligations.
- You typically need supporting documents (certificate of incorporation, proof of address, beneficial owner ID) formatted to local customs standards.
This is where most delays come from – not the application itself, but the back-and-forth on documentation.
A Note on the French SIRET → SIREN Change
If you’re trading specifically with France, there’s a parallel 2026 change worth knowing about. France is migrating its EORI format from SIRET-based (14 digits) to SIREN-based (9 digits). SIRET-based EORI numbers will be progressively deactivated through the second half of 2026.
- French-established companies: Check your current EORI. If it’s FR + 14 digits, request an update.
- Non-EU companies with a French EORI: Your format becomes FR + 2-letter country code + 9 digits.
- AEO-certified operators: Already on SIREN format. No action required.
This is a France-only change and doesn’t affect your EORI in any other Member State.
How to Choose Your Member State of Registration
For non-EU companies, this matters more than most realise. Your EORI is valid EU-wide, but it’s issued by one Member State, and that choice affects:
- Speed of registration. Some authorities respond in days, others in weeks.
- Language and documentation. Estonia, Ireland, and the Netherlands generally accept English. France, Germany, and Italy expect local-language submissions.
- Fiscal representation rules. Several Member States require a local fiscal representative for non-EU traders. Others don’t.
- Audit and follow-up obligations. Some authorities are notably more active in post-registration checks.
Estonia and Ireland are typical default choices for non-EU companies that want a fast, English-language process with minimal local-presence requirements. We can advise on the best fit during onboarding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an EORI if my goods only transit through the EU?
If your goods are heading to a non-EU destination but pass through EU territory, an EORI is not always required for the consignee — but the carrier still files an ENS, and EORI numbers of involved parties are used if available.
Can I use a relative’s or partner company’s EORI?
No. The EORI is tied to the legal entity acting as importer or exporter on the customs declaration. Using someone else’s number is a misdeclaration.
My GB EORI worked before — why doesn’t it now?
Since Brexit, a GB EORI is valid only for UK customs. To act as importer or exporter in the EU, you need an EU-issued EORI. Many UK exporters discovered this in the first months of 2026 when ICS2 derogations expired.
How do I check if I already have an EORI?
Use the official EU EORI validation tool. Enter your number — if it returns “valid”, you’re registered. If it returns nothing, you’re not.
What documents will I need?
Typically: certificate of incorporation, proof of business address, ID of the legal representative, and a brief description of your customs activity. Specifics vary by Member State.
How much does an EORI cost?
The number itself is free from customs authorities. Costs come from the time, expertise, and language work required to file correctly. Registration agents handle this work for a flat fee.
Does an EORI expire?
No, but it can be deactivated if you stop using it for several years, or if linked data (company status, address) becomes invalid.
Get Your EORI Number with ease
If you ship to the EU, you need an EORI. The longer you wait, the more likely your next shipment hits the new ICS2 enforcement.
We register EORI numbers for businesses worldwide – EU and non-EU – with a flat fee, no hidden costs, and the fastest turnaround on the market.
- Standard registration: €149 flat — typical turnaround 3 business days
- Priority registration: €249 — priority handling with customs side fast-track
- No subscriptions, no upsells, no surprises
- Application prepared and submitted by people who do this every day
Not sure which Member State to register in, or whether you already have an EORI? Send us your details and we’ll check the EU database and recommend the fastest route for your business.
EORI Number is a private registration agent that helps businesses prepare and submit EORI applications to EU customs authorities. We are not affiliated with the European Commission or any national customs authority. EORI numbers are issued by Member State customs authorities.
