Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk

Ref : EIC 230/2

20 May 2009

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 267/2009

European Union (EU)* : Amendments to the Implementation Provisions of the Community Customs Code

Further to Commercial Information Circular No. 199/2009 of 17 April 2009, the European Commission (the Commission) has adopted a Regulation to amend the implementation provisions of the Community Customs Code. Details are set out in Commission Regulation (EC) No. 312/2009 (the Regulation), which can be accessed through the following link:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2009:098:0003:0023:EN:PDF

DETAILS

2. The Regulation introduced an Economic Operators Registration and Identification number (EORI number), which is a unique number for economic operator to be used throughout the Community. The EORI number shall be used for the identification of economic operators and other persons in their relations with the customs authorities in the Community. While the number will be assigned by one of the authorities in the Community, it shall automatically be valid to be used as reference in all the communications with customs authorities in the Community. An economic operator will be registered and assigned an EORI number when they first perform one of the followings:-

   - lodging a summary or customs declaration (except in some specified circumstances);

   - lodging an exit or entry summary declaration;

   - operating a temporary storage facility;

   - applying for the authorised consignor status and the authorisation in certain types of simplified procedure; and

   - applying for an authorised economic operator certificate.

3. To register for an EORI number, an economic operator will be required to provide information, including:-

   - full name, establishment/residential address, and date of establishment/birth;

   - Value-added tax (VAT) identification number(s) assigned by Member States;

   - type of person (i.e. natural person, legal person, or association of persons);

   - contact information, for example, contact person name, address, telephone number, fax number, or e-mail address;

   - for person not established in the Community, the identification number(s) assigned where an Agreement on Mutual Administrative Assistance in customs matters is in force; and

   - principal economic activity code.

4. Separately, the Regulation also amended certain implementation provisions on the exemptions of the entry summary declaration, the lodging of summary declaration, outward processing, and the exit summary declaration. The Regulation shall apply from 1 July 2009.

ENQUIRIES

5. For enquiries concerning the content of this circular, please contact the undersigned at telephone number 2398 5556.

Yours faithfully,

(Miss Peggy LEUNG)

for Director-General of Trade and Industry

* The EU includes Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.