EORI stands for Economic Operators Registration and Identification. It is a unique ID number used by customs authorities across the EU to identify businesses and individuals involved in importing or exporting goods.
The system was introduced by the EU in 2009 to give customs a single, consistent way to identify economic operators across all member states, replacing a patchwork of national identifiers.
An EORI number is not a tax number or a VAT number, although in many countries, including Denmark, it is built on top of your existing business registration.
You need an EORI number if you:
Import goods into the EU customs territory from outside the EU
Export goods from the EU to a country outside the EU
Act as a customs representative or declarant on someone else's behalf
Move goods through EU customs as part of transit procedures
This applies to businesses and, in some cases, individuals engaged in commercial trade. It applies whether you are established inside the EU or outside it. A UK or US business shipping into the EU needs an EU EORI number, separate from any EORI number issued by its own country's customs authority.
If you only trade within the EU single market and never cross the external customs border, you do not need one.
In Denmark, you get an EORI number by registering your business as an importer or exporter with the Danish Business Authority (Erhvervsstyrelsen) at virk.dk. Once that registration is in place, the EORI number is issued automatically.
This is a separate step from registering for VAT. Having a CVR number does not give you an EORI number on its own, so it is worth checking that the import or export registration has actually been made before your first shipment.
Registration is free. Processing typically takes a few working days, so it should be arranged before your first shipment, not while goods are already in transit.
An EORI number consists of a two-letter country code followed by a unique identifier. In Denmark, that means DK followed by your 8-digit CVR number, for example DK12345678.
Other EU countries follow the same structure with their own country code and national identifier, so an EORI number is always traceable to both the country and the specific business it belongs to.
Your EORI number must appear on the customs declaration for every import or export shipment. It identifies your business as the party responsible for the goods, whether you are the importer, the exporter, or the customs representative filing on someone else's behalf.
Without a valid EORI number on file, customs will not process the declaration, which means the shipment cannot clear and stays held at the border.
No. A VAT number relates to tax reporting, while an EORI number identifies you to customs specifically for import and export purposes. In Denmark the two are often linked through your CVR number, but they serve different functions and are checked by different systems.
No. A single EORI number issued by one EU member state is valid for customs procedures across the entire EU. You do not need to register separately in each country you trade with.
In Denmark, registration is typically processed within a few working days, provided the import or export registration has been made. Apply well before your first shipment to avoid delays at customs.
Customs cannot process the declaration, and the shipment will be held until a valid EORI number is provided. This can mean unexpected delays and, depending on the goods and destination, storage charges while the shipment waits.
Yes, there is no fee to register for an EORI number in Denmark or elsewhere in the EU.
Every shipment across an EU border needs a valid EORI number on file before customs will process it. If you are shipping internationally for the first time, it is worth confirming your registration is in place before you book, rather than finding out when a shipment is already stuck.
With one dedicated contact managing your shipment end to end, questions like this surface before they become delays, which is how customs clearance stays on track instead of becoming a bottleneck.
Our team handles complex freight every day.
A short conversation is usually faster than reading another article.
