EU Customs – PID Requirements

A further change to EU customs requirements will come into effect on 1 November 2026, with new requirements for Product Identifiers (PIDs) on goods sold to EU consumers from outside the EU.

Following the removal of the €150 customs-duty relief earlier this year, together with the introduction of a temporary €3 customs duty on qualifying low-value consignments, businesses involved in cross-border e-commerce should now prepare for the next stage of the EU’s customs reforms.

Product Identifiers

From 1 November 2026, Product Identifiers will be mandatory for B2C distance sales of goods imported into the EU from outside the EU.

It is important to distinguish the PID requirements from the customs-duty rules. The €150 threshold relates to the application of customs duty and does not determine whether the new Product Identifier requirements apply.

Businesses selling goods to EU consumers should therefore review their product and customs data to ensure that:

• A Product Identifier is available for each relevant product;
• Product data is accurate and consistently maintained across systems;
• Products are correctly mapped to the applicable identifier type; and
• The required information is included within customs data where applicable.

What does this mean for businesses?

The new requirements form part of wider efforts to strengthen customs controls and provide EU authorities with greater visibility of goods entering the Union. Improved product-level information will also support the identification of unsafe, counterfeit and otherwise non-compliant goods.

For businesses based in the UK and other non-EU countries that sell directly to EU consumers, this is an important compliance deadline.

Businesses should review their product data, customs declarations and shipping processes now to identify any gaps and ensure they are prepared for the new requirements taking effect on 1 November 2026.