Recently, major news has emerged in cross-border logistics and taxation circles: French customs and official agencies have suspended the approval of EORI applications, and the resumption time remains unclear. For cross-border sellers who need customs clearance and sales in Europe (especially France), this change directly affects the smooth clearance of goods.

EORI (Economic Operator Registration and Identification) is the EU's Economic Operators Registration and Identification number, a globally unique identification code assigned by EU customs to businesses.

Simply put, the difference between VAT and EORI:

• VAT (Value Added Tax number): used for VAT declaration and payment when goods are sold locally in the EU after import.

• EORI (Customs identification number): used for customs declaration, clearance, and verification of import/export qualifications when goods enter the EU border.

According to EU customs regulations, as long as a business engages in import/export clearance activities within the EU, it must have one and only one main EORI number (following the principle of "apply in one country, valid throughout the EU").

Although French authorities have not yet published specific details of long-term policy adjustments, based on recent EU customs compliance and risk control trends, this suspension is mainly due to the following reasons:

Information system upgrade and verification integration: French customs is comprehensively strengthening the mandatory linkage and data matching between EORI and the French tax authority's SIREN (business registration number) and VAT systems.

Cracking down on false affiliations and gray-industry tax avoidance: Some offshore sellers previously applied for EORI through intermediaries using false addresses or illegal affiliations, causing significant compliance risks. Customs suspended new approvals to clear backlogged applications and inspect non-compliant accounts.

Review agency staff overload: A surge in applications has caused serious backlogs in the French customs backend. Suspending approvals is a temporary control measure for system maintenance and stock review.

According to EU customs regulations, as long as you have legally obtained an EORI in any EU member state, that EORI number can be used for import clearance throughout the EU (including France). 

If your French EORI application is stuck or you are preparing to apply, Yamasen recommends considering the following EORI alternatives from other EU countries: 

Do not wait blindly: Sellers who have shipped or are about to ship, if they have not yet obtained a French EORI, should immediately arrange EORI applications through countries with faster approval such as Italy or Poland to ensure customs clearance compliance. 

Check existing French EORIs: Sellers who already have a French EORI are advised to check the account status in the official EU customs EORI Validation system to ensure it is still "ACTIVE".

Beware of "guaranteed approval/internal channel" traps: During this special period, do not trust non-compliant intermediaries' ads for "expedited guaranteed approval". Using false materials can easily lead to tax number cancellation and cargo inspection or seizure.