Starting September 1, new EU import regulations impose compliance challenges for sellers in cross-border e-commerce.
Starting 1 September, a new EU import regulation is shaking up the cross-border e-commerce landscape. The traditional dual-clearance, duty-inclusive model is facing major compliance hurdles, creating structural challenges for sellers relying on this approach. Key updates to Amazon's Pan-European Programme now require stricter customs documentation, forcing sellers to reevaluate their logistics practices.
Under Amazon's updated policy, all non-EU sellers in the Pan-European Programme must provide a Movement Reference Number (MRN) and an Economic Operators Registration and Identification (EORI) number for every shipment to EU Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) warehouses. This requirement, previously limited to France, now applies across the EU, including Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, and other member states. The MRN is a unique customs declaration number, while the EORI identifies the company within EU customs systems. Sellers using informal clearance arrangements may struggle to meet these requirements, as they often lack access to the necessary documentation.
Amazon has introduced a 60-day grace period for compliance. Sellers who fail to submit the required MRN and EORI numbers within this timeframe risk restrictions on creating new inbound shipments to the EU. Existing inventory and goods already in transit are unaffected, but future restocking will be halted until compliance is achieved.
Dual-Clearance Sellers Face the Biggest Impact
Sellers relying on duty-inclusive logistics, where freight forwarders use their own VAT numbers for customs clearance, face significant risks. Without valid MRNs tied to the seller's name, such shipments will no longer meet Amazon's platform requirements, potentially resulting in shipment blockages.
To stay compliant, sellers should:
- Require freight forwarders to provide MRN and EORI details after customs clearance and formalize this in service agreements.
- Audit past shipments and retroactively upload missing import data into Amazon Seller Central.
- Note that shipments arriving after 1 September will still need documentation, even if created earlier.
This new regulation reflects the EU's increasing compliance standards, which now extend to customs processes. Sellers who act quickly to establish compliant import frameworks and streamline their supply chains will gain a competitive edge as the industry adapts to these higher standards.
