Shipping to Europe from the UK

The European Union is a political and economic union of 27 member states, consisting of countries located in Europe. It’s a single market based on four freedoms – people, goods, services and capital. And all four can move freely between all member states.

This means most goods can be transported between member states without the need for customs control and payment of duties and taxes. So goods from an EU country can be shipped to another EU country in free circulation without a commercial invoice.

However, while movement within the EU may be free of customs regulations, certain rules may still apply to highly regulated goods like dangerous goods dual-use items, or excise goods going in and out of your country.

The 27 member countries of the European Union are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

If you are shipping from the UK, keep in mind that as of January 1, 2021, it is no longer part of the EU. However, Northern Ireland will continue being part of the EU VAT area for goods.

Within the EU, there are overseas and special territories such as Guadeloupe and the Canary Islands. While they form part of the EU, they may require a customs declaration to move goods in and out of their country, and duties and taxes may have to be paid.

For more information about the specific customs regulations of the EU's overseas and special territories, check the European Commission website. You can also ask the receiver or your chosen carrier.

Generally, the customs clearance process is more or less the same in all EU countries. However, when it comes to regulated goods, some countries may require additional paperwork.

As far as shipping documents go, a commercial invoice and an air waybill are required for all international shipments.

Personal shipments of low-value, unregulated goods can usually clear customs without any additional documentation. Commercial shipments or regulated goods may need extra documentation to comply with EU shipping regulations.