Customs compliance · BR → EU
EU customs now require product IDs for low-value e-commerce imports
Nov 4, 2026 · 5 min read
In short
From 1 November 2026, product identifiers are mandatory for each product in customs declarations covering distance sales of imported goods with an intrinsic value not exceeding EUR 150, principally B2C shipments to EU customers. The file needs a merchant product identifier (M-PID) and a non-standardised manufacturer product identifier (NS-PID). A standardised manufacturer product identifier (S-PID), such as EAN, UPC or ISBN, is also required where one exists; otherwise the declaration uses TARIC code Y081. Sellers, platforms and manufacturers must pass the data through the supply chain, while the declarant remains responsible for its accuracy and completeness.
EU customs have turned product identity into a mandatory data requirement for low-value e-commerce imports. Since 1 November 2026, each product in a customs declaration for a distance sale of imported goods with an intrinsic value no higher than EUR 150 must carry the required identifiers. The rule principally concerns goods sold online to EU consumers. Ordinary B2B flows are in principle outside this PID requirement, so it should not be treated as a universal field for every commercial import.
The three identifiers answer different questions. The M-PID is the reference used for the product offer on the seller's website, marketplace or platform, and must identify the offer uniquely there. The NS-PID is the manufacturer's own model, part, style or similar reference. Both are required. The S-PID is the internationally standardised code, commonly an EAN, UPC or ISBN, and is reported only where it exists. If no S-PID has been assigned, the declarant must state that fact with TARIC code Y081 rather than invent a barcode.
The customs mapping is specific. C127 carries the M-PID, C128 the NS-PID and C129 the S-PID in the supporting-document data element. A missing S-PID is recorded with Y081 in the additional-reference field. The data is required in distance-sale declarations using the relevant procedure codes, and every product grouped on a declaration line needs its identifiers. Bundles therefore need data for their component products. Second-hand, refurbished, personalised and print-on-demand goods do not receive a general exemption.
Responsibility travels through the chain. The online seller, marketplace or platform assigns and passes on the M-PID; the manufacturer, producer or product supplier supplies the NS-PID and any S-PID. The declarant, often an IOSS holder, special-arrangements operator or customs representative, reports the identifiers and remains responsible for complete and accurate customs data. A Brazilian brand should therefore not assume that its carrier can reconstruct missing product identity at the border from a description or HS code.
Test one live catalogue before the next parcel moves. Match every sellable variant to its platform reference, manufacturer reference and standardised code, preserve Y081 only for products that genuinely have no S-PID, and send the same fields through checkout, marketplace, fulfilment and carrier files. Ask the declarant which national-system format it accepts and how it reports a rejected or held declaration. An Opportunity Scan can map the product-data hand-offs and accountable parties before a missing identifier becomes a customs delay.
Business intelligence, not legal or tax advice.