According to the requirements of the European Union customs law, all international trade participants involved in the import, export, transit of goods, or other activities related to any kind of customs procedures in the European Union, must have an Economic Operators Registration and Identification number (EORI).
What is an EORI number?
The EORI number (Economic Operators Registration and Identification number) is a unique commercial registration and identification number primarily necessary for customs formalities, assigned to entrepreneurs by the European Union customs service and registered in the European Commission’s central Economic Operators System.
Why and who needs an EORI number?
The EORI number is required for customs formalities for goods importation, transit, and export procedures, enabling third-world countries to legally trade with EU states and track goods movement outside the EU.
The EORI number is also needed by customs authorities to identify goods and help quickly form documents at borders, such as applications for customs permission and guarantee, declarations of import or export summaries, and to apply for a customs decision or authorize a broker to carry out customs procedures.
EORI number verification
In the Republic of Latvia, the EORI number for a registered individual is an 11-digit number, consisting of the applicant’s personal code.
For a registered legal entity in the Republic of Latvia:
- If the applicant is not a registered taxpayer: a 9-digit number consisting of the Business Register registration number;
- If the applicant is a taxpayer: an 11-digit number consisting of the company registration code;
For a non-European Union registered individual, the EORI number consists of 15 characters – letters and numbers, where the first two characters are the respective country’s ISO two-letter code, followed by the identification number of the person’s proof of identity document.
For a non-European Union registered legal entity, the EORI number consists of up to 15 characters – letters and numbers, where the first two characters are the respective country’s ISO two-letter code, followed by the respective country’s legal entity business register identification number.
To verify the validity of an EORI number issued in the European Union (a combination of numbers without punctuation and spaces), please use the Official European Commission website:
To verify the validity of an EORI number issued in the United Kingdom, starting with the letters GB, please use the website:
EORI number application form
A paper format, personally signed EORI number application form can be submitted either at the State Revenue Service (VID) at Talejas Street 1, Riga, or at any customs control point, or sent by mail to VID Customs Administration, Talejas Street 1, Riga, LV-1978.
An electronic EORI number application form, signed with a secure electronic signature, can be sent by email to the Customs Administration:
MP.lietvediba@vid.gov.lv, EORI@vid.gov.lv or by connecting to EDS (https://eds.vid.gov.lv/login), where in the section “Correspondence with VID” select “Submission to the Customs Administration” and attach the completed EORI number application form.
You can also register for an EORI number on your country’s customs website: https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/customs-4/union-customs-code/national-customs-administrations_en.
How to correctly fill out the EORI number application form?
To correctly fill out the VID-prepared EORI number application form for assigning an EORI number, the merchant must provide the following information:
- Indicate details about the person requesting the EORI number (full name, surname or title, business information, contact details, etc.);
- Indicate how the applicant will be informed about the decision to assign the EORI number;
- Submit a confirmation that the applicant has not previously been assigned an EORI number.
If an EORI number is requested by an individual registered outside the European Union – the application must indicate their proof of identity document’s identification number.
If an EORI number is requested by a legal entity registered outside the European Union – the application must indicate the respective country’s business registration number.
Process and costs
After receiving the EORI number application form, the State Revenue Service (VID) creates an EORI record in the EORI system within 1-5 working days for the assignment of this number to the merchant involved in the import or export of goods between EU member states, as well as outside the European Union. Registration of an EORI number for merchants is done free of charge.
