Importing components made outside the EU: the documents to require

When you import a product into the European Union, you become the importer under the regulations, with obligations of your own. Documents should be requested before ordering: after delivery it is often too late to obtain them. This article gives pointers; it does not replace advice from a compliance specialist or customs broker.

Product conformity

• The EU declaration of conformity, signed by the manufacturer, citing the legislation applied and the standards used.
• Depending on the product: Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU, Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive 2014/30/EU, RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU.
• For substances: the information required by the REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006.
• For a component intended for a machine: the Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 applies from 20 January 2027.

A declaration of conformity covers a specific product. A company’s ISO 9001 certificate, for example, does not prove the conformity of a given reference.

Customs elements

• An EORI number for the company clearing the goods.
• The product’s customs tariff code, to be checked in the European Commission’s TARIC database.
• The proof of origin, if you want to benefit from a trade agreement between the EU and the country of manufacture.
• The Incoterm, which sets who pays and who bears the risk at each stage of transport.

Ask for these documents in writing in the quote request. A manufacturer who cannot provide them for the exact reference should be set aside, or qualified before any order.