How to ship from the UK to the EU and vice versa – Sendcloud Help Center

Purpose: This article provides a clear checklist for shipping between the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) using Sendcloud, including VAT, EORI, customs documentation, and product identifier requirements.

This article provides general guidance. Always verify requirements with official authorities and consult your tax advisor if needed.

Important notes: To ship to the UK using Sendcloud rates, you must have both a UK VAT number and a UK EORI number. Without these tax numbers, you will not be able to create shipments to the UK using Sendcloud rates, and parcels may be delayed or returned by customs.

This requirement applies to Sendcloud rates (transactional parcels). If you ship using your own carrier contract, shipping may still be possible without a UK VAT number, but missing tax information can lead to delays, customs issues, or returned shipments. Since Brexit, shipments between the EU and the UK are treated as international shipments and always require customs clearance.

Account and carrier availability

With Sendcloud, if you’re using Sendcloud rates, you can only ship from the United Kingdom (from a UK sender address) if your business is based in the UK, meaning your invoice address is located there. In this case, only UK Sendcloud accounts will be able to see UK carriers.

Cross-Currency Carrier Contracts
If you’re using your own carrier contract, however, you can now access carriers across regions: UK accounts can add EU direct carriers, and EU accounts can add UK carriers. This new feature enables a streamlined, unified experience for users shipping across both regions, allowing businesses to manage all shipments within a single account.

Example:
Your business is based in the UK, and you’ve entered a UK invoice address in Sendcloud. With a UK Sendcloud account, you now have the option to add your own EU carrier contracts, giving you the ability to ship across the EU from within the same account.
Similarly, if your business is based in the EU with an EU invoice address, you can now add UK carriers to your EU Sendcloud account using your own contract.

Please note: This cross-currency feature applies only when using your own carrier contracts. If you rely on Sendcloud rates, carriers remain specific to your business location (UK or EU) and your invoice address.

Checklist for shipping

Step 1: Ensure your VAT setup is correct

For shipments from the EU to the UK using Sendcloud rates, the sender must provide:

UK VAT number
UK EORI number

European Union (EU) > United Kingdom (UK)

VAT handling depends on the value of the goods:

Below £135: VAT is usually collected at the point of sale and must be declared to HMRC.
Above £135: Import VAT and duties are typically charged at customs.

In most B2C shipments, the receiver (customer) cannot provide a UK VAT or EORI number. In these cases, the sender must provide both.

You can register for a UK VAT number here:

United Kingdom (UK) > European Union (EU)

If you are shipping from the UK to the EU, VAT rules depend on the destination country:

For goods below €150, you may use the IOSS (Import One Stop Shop) scheme to simplify VAT handling.
For goods above €150, import VAT and duties are usually applied in the destination country.

More information:

UK Government VAT guidance

Step 2: Apply for the correct EORI numbers

To ship between the EU and the UK, you need:

An EU EORI number
A UK EORI number (GB EORI)

A GB EORI number is not the same as a UK VAT number. You need both to ship to the UK using Sendcloud rates.

Apply here:

Apply for a GB EORI number

If you ship to or from Northern Ireland, you may also need an XI EORI number:

Apply for an XI EORI number

Step 3: Choose the correct Incoterms

Incoterms determine who is responsible for paying VAT and duties:

DDP (Delivery Duty Paid): Seller pays VAT and duties
DAP (Delivered At Place): Buyer pays VAT and duties

In specific cases (mainly B2B shipments), the sender may not need to provide a UK VAT number if ALL of the following conditions apply:

The receiver provides a UK VAT and UK EORI number
The shipment value is above £135
The incoterm used is DAP

If any of these conditions are not met, the sender must provide a UK VAT number.

Step 4: Add your Product Identifiers

For shipments from the United Kingdom (UK) to the European Union (EU) valued under €150, you should include the following product details for each item:

Merchant product identifier (for example, your SKU)
Non-standardized manufacturer product identifier
Standardized manufacturer product identifier, if available (for example, GTIN or MPN)

You can still create shipments in your Sendcloud account without these details. However, adding them is strongly recommended to help avoid customs delays, blocked shipments, or additional customs checks.

Important: From 1 July 2026, a €3 customs fee will apply per customs declaration line for shipments entering the EU valued under €150. If you ship to B2B customers with a VAT registration number, standard duty rates apply instead of the €3 flat fee

Step 5: Consider adding shipping insurance

You can protect your shipments against loss or damage by adding insurance during label creation.

Read about Sendcloud Shipping Protection

Step 6: Check carrier surcharges

Carriers may apply additional surcharges for shipments between the EU and the UK.

Always review the carrier’s terms and conditions before shipping.

If you use Sendcloud rates, visit our Carriers page.

Step 7: Prepare customs documentation

All shipments between the EU and the UK require customs documentation.

You may need:

Commercial invoice
Certificate of origin (if applicable)
CN22 or CN23 form (for postal shipments)

For shipments entering the EU valued under €150, customs declarations may also include product identifiers at item level, such as SKU, GTIN, or MPN information.

Learn how to generate these documents:

How to generate customs documents in Sendcloud

You can also use Paperless Trade to send documents digitally.

When shipping with Royal Mail via Sendcloud, only CN23 forms are generated. This does not affect delivery.

Step 8: Understand duties and rules of origin

The EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement allows for reduced or zero tariffs if goods meet the rules of origin requirements.

Goods may qualify for zero tariffs if they are:

Wholly obtained in the EU or UK, or
Substantially transformed in the EU or UK

If applicable, include a statement on origin in your commercial invoice.

More information:

Useful resources

Sendcloud

→ How to ship internationally with Sendcloud

Official sources

→ Export goods from the UK

→ VAT on exports