The abbreviation EORI stands for Economic Operators Registration and Identification number.
This is a single centralized database of subjects of customs relations that conduct foreign economic activity on the territory of the EU. Access to it is provided to customs authorities during the procedures of import, export, and transit of goods.
The EORI number is a unique identifier of the company, which consists of two parts: the first 2 letters in the number indicate the country, the subsequent numbers/letters – a unique code in the country of registration. For example: CY12345678L.
Each company that imports/exports goods to/from the EU has the opportunity to get only one EORI number, but it will be valid throughout the EU. You can get an EORI number in the EU country where the company is registered and operates. Companies from countries outside the EU receive an EORI number in the EU country where they first pass customs clearance.
The existence of the EORI system greatly facilitates the work of both companies during the customs clearance of goods, and customs authorities, speeding up the process of identifying companies and collecting customs payments and duties.
In Cyprus the registration procedure for EORI purposes takes place on an application basis. Residents of Cyprus submit a completed Form C1000 to the Customs Department office in their city. Non-residents of Cyprus can register by submitting to the customs authority Form C1000 and a declaration on Form C1000D.
The forms for EORI registration contain the following information:
1) information about the applicant (name, address, VAT number);
2) codes of the applicant’s economic activity (according to the NACE classifier);
3) for companies from non-EU Member States information about the first customs operation on the territory of the EU is additionally described.
Form C1000 and declaration C1000D can be signed in one of the following ways:
– personally by the director of the company in the presence of the customs inspector;
– by the director of the company without visiting the customs office, provided that his signature on the documents is certified;
– by an authorised person of the company in the presence of a customs inspector.
Together with a duly completed and signed application, a company registered in the territory of the EU submits the following to the customs authority:
– copies of corporate documents showing the structure and basic information about the company (for Cyprus – 4 certificates from the Registrar);
– ID/passport of the director of the company or a document confirming the authority of an authorized person;
– copy of VAT certificate;
– company seal.
In Cyprus EORI registration takes from 2 to 7 days. The certificate with the EORI number is issued by customs and sent to the company by mail in the original. The company can check the correctness of the reflected data and the validity of the EORI number on the website of the European Commission.
