EORI number: important information for French companies with customs activities
The publication of the note to operators released last week by the French customs has reminded economic operators of an important upcoming deadline for their customs activities.
In its note of 5 February 2024, the Office of Customs Policy announced the postponement ofautomatic deactivation of EORI numbersthe assets of operators removed from the Register of Trade and Companies and/or inactive establishments. This is a second postponement. Indeed, this development, which was originally scheduled for 20 November 2023 and was postponed for the first time to 22 January 2024, is nowpostponed to Monday 18 March 2024, following a technical anomaly.
The customs authorities used this note to recall the need for any company with customs activities based on its EORI number to verify the accuracy of this information with the regional customs services (procedure services or EAP, Economic Action Poles).
As a reminder, the EORI number should beMust be based on the Siren numberfor the majority of companies whose principal establishment is in France,instead of the SIRET number,used today in French customs authorisations (cf.EORI numbers: deactivation schedule for inactive establishments). This will allow economic operators to access European systems such as, for example, the future electronic customs clearance system DELTA I, expected by the end of the year, but also for cargo security declarations made by carriers (ICS, Import Control System).
In practice, the request for EORI/SIREN numbers is accessible via the SOPRANO EORI teleservice for any company with a certified customs account (see.EU Customs: evolution of EORI number applications). Each operator can thus carry out the procedure since last year, knowing that the EORI numbers issued are not yet necessarily used in French customs systems but will become indispensable once DELTA I is operational.
Note that certified operatorsOAS(Accredited Economic Operator) already have an EORI number based on the SIREN and do not have to take any steps.
Source(s): Note to operators of 5 February 2024
Editor(s): L. SPRIET