Frequently asked questions
How is EORI different from an EU VAT number?
EORI (Economic Operators Registration and Identification) identifies a business towards CUSTOMS authorities across the EU - without it you cannot lodge a customs declaration. The EU VAT number serves TAX settlements in intra-EU trade and is verified in VIES. In Poland the EORI is PL + tax ID + 00000, but in many countries (e.g. Germany) the EORI and the VAT number are entirely different numbers.
Why check both numbers at once?
Because they live in two different registers and cover two different risks. A counterparty may have an active EU VAT number but no EORI (a problem at customs clearance) - or the other way round. For export and transit you usually need certainty about both.
What does "the EC service is temporarily not responding" mean?
Our tool queries the official European Commission services (VIES and the EORI register). They get congested, and individual member states have maintenance windows. An unavailable result says nothing about your counterparty - simply try again in a few minutes.
Is the result binding?
No. It is information from the official EC databases at the moment of the query (member states update VIES with some delay). For evidential purposes, keep a confirmation from the official VIES site or request a certificate from your tax administration.
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