EU product identifiers (PIDs) from 1 November 2026: what small sellers need
From 1 November 2026, EU customs wants product IDs for every item in online orders shipped to EU consumers in parcels worth up to €150. If your carrier, postal service or IOSS intermediary cannot pass them on, the customs declaration is incomplete. Here is what the Commission's guidance says, in plain English, and what to prepare.
The rule
From 1 November 2026, product identifiers (PIDs) must be declared to EU customs for every item sold to consumers in distance sales (B2C online orders) in consignments worth up to €150. Declaring them has been voluntary since 1 July 2026; enforcement starts on 1 November. B2B shipments are in principle not concerned. Read our PID guide
Which IDs: the three types
Three identifiers are involved: the merchant product ID (M-PID, assigned by the online seller, marketplace or platform; on a multi-seller marketplace it is the platform's ID for the product), the manufacturer's own non-standardised product ID (NS-PID), and, only if one exists, a standardised ID such as an EAN/GTIN or ISBN (S-PID). M-PID and NS-PID are always required; if no standardised ID exists, the declaration says so with code Y081.
Each identifier should point to exactly one product variant (same brand, size, colour, packaging) and stay the same over the product's life. The Commission says deliberately reporting IDs per batch or per unit when a model-level ID exists is an infringement.
| Identifier | Who assigns it | Required? | Typical example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merchant product ID (M-PID) | The online seller, marketplace or platform that offers the product | Always | The product or listing ID used on the shop or marketplace |
| Non-standardised manufacturer ID (NS-PID) | The manufacturer, producer or product supplier | Always | The maker's own article or model number |
| Standardised manufacturer ID (S-PID) | The manufacturer, under an international standard | Only if one exists (otherwise code Y081 is declared) | EAN/GTIN barcode number, ISBN for books |
"Typical example" is our plain-language illustration of the Commission's definitions, not official wording.
Who files them with customs
The declarant files the PIDs with customs: in most cases the IOSS holder, the special-arrangements operator (usually the carrier or postal operator) or a customs representative. Sellers and manufacturers are expected to pass their IDs along the supply chain so the declarant has them.
If a product has no manufacturer product ID, the manufacturer, producer or product supplier is expected to assign one; no specific format is required. A manufacturer may also reuse its EAN/GTIN as the non-standardised ID.
Hand-made, art, food, second-hand and print-on-demand
Administrative tolerance: unprocessed agricultural and perishable goods (tariff chapters 1 to 15), some hand-made and artisanal goods (listed codes such as 4420 11, 4420 19, 4602, 5702 10 00, 5804 30 00, 5805 00 00 and certain 7013 glassware lines) and antiques, collectibles, art, stamps and coins (headings 9701 to 9706) are treated as compliant if the merchant ID and the non-standardised manufacturer ID are provided, without a standardised ID.
Second-hand, refurbished, personalised and print-on-demand goods get no special treatment: give the PID of the original product (second-hand) or of the underlying blank item, for example the base T-shirt that you print a name or logo on.
Check whether your product's code is on the tolerance list in the official guidance (linked above) and in the EU tariff (TARIC); the list in the guidance is described as non-exhaustive for those categories, so do not assume your item qualifies just because it is hand-made.
Checklist for small sellers shipping to the EU
- Give every product variant (size, colour, pack) its own stable product ID or SKU in your shop, and do not reuse IDs between different products.
- For each product, write down the maker's own article or model number. If you make the product yourself, you are the manufacturer: assign one and keep it the same over time.
- If the product has an EAN/GTIN/UPC barcode or ISBN, record it. If it has none, that is allowed: the declaration states that none exists.
- For print-on-demand or personalised items, record the ID of the blank base product from your supplier.
- Ask your carrier, postal service, shipping app or IOSS intermediary how they want the IDs (for example in your order or label data) before 1 November 2026, and check that your export or integration sends them.
- Selling on a marketplace? The marketplace's own product ID is the merchant ID; check its seller help pages for what it needs from you.
Sources: European Commission, DG Taxation and Customs Union, European Commission, DG Taxation and Customs Union. Checked 21 Oct 2026. The Commission's guidance is explanatory and not legally binding; the legal texts (amended UCC Delegated Regulation, Annex B) take precedence, and the Commission says it is amending Annex B to make the €150 limit explicit. This page is general information, not customs advice; see the disclaimer.