EORI number – an important business ID in customs transactions
Importers and exporters who trade with countries outside the EU need an EORI number as business ID for almost all customs declarations. Transport companies must also have an EORI number.
EORI (Economic Operators´ Registration and Identification) is an EU-wide system where importers, exporters and other economic operators are registered, and the EORI number is how the operator is identified. In Finland, Customs is the authority responsible for assigning the EORI number, and Finnish companies are always registered for EORI in Finland.
EORI numbers of Finnish companies are of the format FI + business ID; for example FI1234567-8.
Check the validity of a company’s EORI number
You can check the validity of a company’s EORI number in the Commission’s EORI number validation service.
- export declaration
- import declaration
- entry summary declaration
- summary declaration for temporary storage
- presentation notification
- upon arrival, unloading report on goods in temporary storage
- transit declaration
- entry summary declaration
- “arrival at exit” notification
- exit manifest presentation
- exit notification.
The EORI number is also mandatory when accessing the EU e-services that require identification: These include:
• Customs Decisions System (CDS) for applications of authorisations involving more than one Member State
• BTI for applications of Binding Tariff Information, and
• eAEO for applications of AEO authorisations
• The INF service for special procedures where the INF number for special procedures is applied for
How do I apply for an EORI number?
1. A Finnish company:
- Apply for the number from Customs’ e-services: Applying for an EORI number. Suomi.fi identification is used when logging in to the service. Read here how to identify yourself and grant mandates in Suomi.fi
- If for some reason the service is unavailable, you can apply for the number with the Finnish form
2. Operators established in third countries (outside the European Union)
- Apply for the EORI-number with the form in English. The information content of the application is different to the application meant for Finnish companies.
How long will the application process take?
The average processing time for applications is two working days. Therefore, we recommend that businesses who do not yet have an EORI number apply for registration at least two working days before they lodge a customs declaration.