If you’ve thought about shipping to other countries in Europe but need some guidance, or if you’re unsure of the new regulations regarding shipments to EU member states following Brexit, we’re here to help.

Shipping from the UK to EU countries post-Brexit

Since 1st January 2021, parcels to Europe are subject to customs and duty fees. This means that goods shipped between EU countries, UK mainland and Northern Ireland have to clear customs and require a commercial invoice and other export documentation. You also need to apply for an EORI number (Economic Operator Registration and Identification Number) which is a unique ID that tracks and registers customs information in the EU. This may all seem complicated at first, but we’re here to help and guide you through the process of exporting to the EU under these new circumstances. You can also refer to the EU Trade page as your guide to import rules and taxes in European markets.

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden

For a quick quote for your parcel delivery to EU member states, check out the rates for selected destinations in the table below or start your quote here.

Shipping rates to EU countries Group 1

*Prices are for sample purposes and are subject to change depending on a selected destination.
EU countries Group 1: Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Republic of Ireland

Shipping rates to EU countries Group 2

*Prices are for sample purposes and are subject to change depending on a selected destination.
EU countries Group 2: Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Sweden, Spain

Since Brexit, Northern Ireland has left the European Union and the EU Customs Union along with the rest of the UK. However, Northern Ireland will remain aligned with some aspects of the Single Market policy of the EU, e.g. applying EU law on VAT rules. Whilst a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland does not exist, custom checks will be carried out for shipments moving between the UK and Northern Ireland. Read more about shipping to Northern Ireland and fill out the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) questionnaire to stay up to date with the changes due to the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Shipping rates to Northern Ireland

For a quick quote for sending a parcel to a non-EU country, check out the rates below for selected destinations or start your quote here.

Shipping rates to the rest of Europe

*Prices are for sample purposes and are subject to change depending on a selected destination.
Rest of Europe: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Moldova, Monaco, Norway, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, Vatican City

Please note, due to the current coronavirus situation, the following surcharges apply to all shipments to European countries:

XS: £0.40 VAT incl.
S: £1.00 VAT incl.
M: £2.00 VAT incl.
L: £3.00 VAT incl.
XL: £4.00 VAT incl.

Important information about clearing customs and required export documents

Since 1st January 2021, shipments to EU member states are treated the same way as international shipments and therefore have to clear customs. This means that a commercial invoice and other export documentation are required for every shipment.

If you are exporting from the UK into the EU, you will need:

• EU VAT registration (preferably in your country of clearance)
• Economic Operator Registration and Identification Number (EORI Number), preferably in the same country where you register for EU VAT to reduce the risk of border delays. This number is used as a unique ID to track and register customs information in the EU
• Commercial invoice

The EORI Number

The Economic Operation Registration and Identification Number (EORI Number) is a unique identification assigned to each importer and exporter to monitor the movement of goods between EU and non-EU countries. A UK EORI number can be easily identified as it will begin with GB. Some businesses have automatically been sent UK EORI numbers, while others must apply for them. If you do not have an EORI number, your goods from the UK will not be cleared by customs, but will be held until you supply the complete paperwork, which could result in significant delays and additional charges.

The commercial invoice

A commercial invoice is used as a customs declaration. It’s provided by the person or business shipping items across international borders and describes the goods and their value to help determine the customs duties to be paid. To make filling out a customs invoice a little easier, we have prepared a visual guide explaining each section of the document.

Download the commercial invoice guide

Clearing Customs

Check with the Chamber of Commerce about trade agreements the UK has with the importing country.

Trade agreements determine tariffs and duties that countries impose on imports and exports. They also impact customs processes so it’s a good idea to check Incoterms that covers rules around delivery, risks and costs. By including those in your invoice, you make sure your customer is not confronted by additional delivery payment by surprise.

The EU Trade Helpdesk is your guide to import rules and taxes in European markets and the EU Commission has put together a useful Access2Markets toolkit designed to help you tackle any obstacles related to importing into the EU.

It is also worth checking the de minimis threshold in your destination country. If the value of your goods stays below the thresholds of the destination country de minimis, no customs charges such as duties and taxes will be added to the shipment and you can optimise the shipping duration and clear customs faster.

New EU VAT Rules

If you are shipping to a customer based in the EU, you need to be aware that from 1 July 2021, there are significant changes to the European Union’s Value Added Tax rules applying to the shipment of goods into the EU. While these reforms primarily target B2C e-commerce imports, impacting both businesses and online shoppers, they may also impact B2B imports.

Whether and how the new EU VAT reform impacts your business depends on the value of the goods you sell, whether you sell to businesses or consumers and whether you use online marketplaces.

Here’s a quick overview of the most important changes. You can also refer to our EU VAT Reform Guide for more detailed information

• For goods valued up to €22: Goods with a value up to €22 will no longer be exempt from VAT and will now require formal customs clearance. You should keep this in mind as you price your products.
• For goods valued up to €150: If you’re selling directly to EU consumers, you have two options to pay VAT:
  • Bill your account - UPS declares VAT at the point of import and charges your business
  • Charge consumers VAT at the point of sale and declare it to the EU (for example via the IOSS platform)
• For goods valued above €150: The EU VAT reform only impacts goods valued up to €150 that are sold to a consumer. For goods sold to a business as well as goods valued above this threshold, you can continue to charge, declare and pay EU VAT as you do today.

Download the EU VAT Reform Guide

For more export related questions, see our International Shipments FAQs.