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8 minute read
From 1 November 2026, every online order you ship from outside the EU to a European consumer needs EU product identifiers (PIDs) on its customs declaration. Until now, customs mostly relied on a goods description and an HS code, which says what kind of product is in the parcel ("cotton T-shirt"). PIDs go one level deeper and say which exact product it is: this model, in this size and colour, from this manufacturer.
For most merchants, this is a product-data job first and a shipping job second. If the right codes sit in your catalogue, they can travel with each order through your shipping platform to the carrier that clears the parcel. If they don't, the parcel can be held at the border. The rule is the second step of the EU customs reform 2026, which already replaced the €150 de minimis duty exemption with a flat €3 duty on 1 July.
Key Takeaways
- From 1 November 2026, EU product identifiers are mandatory on customs declarations for online sales of imported goods to EU consumers.
- Each product needs your merchant code (usually your SKU) and the manufacturer's own code (a model, part, or style number).
- A barcode such as a GTIN or EAN is only required if the product has one. If not, the exception code Y081 tells customs that no barcode exists.
- Missing or wrong PIDs count as a customs infringement and can lead to held parcels, inspections, or returns to origin.
- Collecting manufacturer codes from suppliers is the slowest step, so start there and test with your carriers before the deadline.
Why is the EU introducing product identifiers?
The number of low-value e-commerce parcels entering the EU has grown fast, and the European Commission reports that a high share of these goods don't meet EU product requirements and safety rules. The problem for customs is scale. When an officer finds an unsafe product in one parcel, a description like "toy" or "phone charger" doesn't help find the thousands of other parcels carrying the same item.
PIDs solve that. Because each parcel now names the exact product and its manufacturer, the result of one check can be applied to every shipment carrying the same identifier. The Commission's guidance on low-value consignments describes this as scaling up the outcome of controlling one product to all products that present a similar risk.
The wider reform has three milestones, according to the EU's Access2Markets update:
A €3 customs duty per item replaces the duty exemption on parcels worth up to €150. PID codes also become available, with no penalties for missing or wrong data.
PIDs become mandatory on B2C import declarations. Missing or incorrect data counts as an infringement.
The temporary €3 duty is scheduled to end (unless extended), and e-commerce imports must be recorded through the new EU Customs Data Hub.
Put simply, the July change affects what a parcel costs. The November change affects whether it clears customs at all. The Commission's EU customs reform page also announces a €2 Union handling fee from 1 November 2026, so check how your carriers will pass that on too.
What are EU product identifiers?
EU product identifiers are three codes, each with its own TARIC document code, that together point to one specific product variant. Each code answers a different question for customs. If you know the codes in our guide to product identification numbers, most of them will look familiar.
| Identifier | The question it answers | Who assigns it | Where to find it | Required? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merchant PID (M-PID), code C127 | What does the seller call this product? | You, your store, or the marketplace | Your store, ERP, or marketplace listing (usually the SKU) | Always |
| Non-standardised manufacturer PID (NS-PID), code C128 | What does the maker call it? | The manufacturer, producer, or product supplier | Product label, packaging, datasheet, or supplier catalogue (model, part, or style number) | Always |
| Standardised manufacturer PID (S-PID), code C129 | Which global barcode does it carry? | The manufacturer, under an international standard | The barcode on the product: GTIN, EAN, UPC, or ISBN | Only if one exists (otherwise Y081) |
Your M-PID is usually the SKU code you already use. The NS-PID takes the most work because it has to come from your supply chain. If none exists, the Commission expects the manufacturer to create one, and a manufacturer can also reuse its barcode as the NS-PID.
Each PID must refer to exactly one product variant: same brand, size, colour, and packaging. A black T-shirt in size M and the same T-shirt in size L need different codes. Batch numbers and unit serial numbers don't count where a model-level code exists.
Which shipments need EU product identifiers?
The rule covers distance sales of imported goods: a consumer in the EU buys online, and the goods ship from outside the EU. It doesn't matter whether the sale happened on your own store or on a marketplace, so your store and marketplace integrations need to pass on the right product data either way.
- In scope: B2C parcels declared on the H1, H6, or H7 import declarations, whether you use IOSS, the special arrangements, or standard VAT.
- Generally out of scope: B2B shipments to VAT-registered EU businesses. FedEx, for example, treats a shipment as B2B when the recipient's VAT number is filled in.
- Per product, not per parcel: every product in the parcel needs its own PIDs, including each product inside a bundle or gift set.
- Responsible for accuracy: the declarant, usually your carrier or customs broker, who will ask you for the data.
What about parcels worth more than €150? Carriers such as FedEx apply the rule to B2C shipments of €150 or less, but the Commission's guidance words it as covering all goods sold in distance sales of imported goods. Collecting PIDs for your whole EU catalogue is the safest approach.
What do EU product identifiers look like in practice?
Here are three common products and how their PIDs would be filled in. The codes are made up for illustration.
| Product | M-PID (C127) | NS-PID (C128) | S-PID (C129) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Running shoes, black, EU size 42 | RUN-BLK-42 (your SKU) | ZX-2291-BK42 (factory model reference) | 5012345678900 (EAN on the box) |
| Mug printed with a customer's photo | MUG-CUSTOM-11 (your SKU) | MB-11W (blank mug supplier's reference) | Y081 (no barcode) |
| Handmade candle you make yourself | CND-LAV-200 (your SKU) | MK-CND-01 (code you assign as the maker) | Y081 (no barcode) |
Products with a barcode
All three fields are filled in. The factory reference is often printed near the barcode or listed in the supplier's datasheet.
Personalised and print-on-demand products
Custom items still need PIDs. The Commission's guidance says to declare the identifiers of the underlying product, so for a printed mug that means the blank mug you buy from your supplier.
Products you make yourself
You're the manufacturer, so you create the manufacturer code yourself.
What if a product has no barcode or doesn't fit the usual rules?
Plenty of products, especially from small brands and makers, have no GTIN or EAN. That's allowed. Work through it like this:
- If the product has a GTIN, EAN, UPC, or ISBN, declare it as the S-PID.
- If it has none, the exception code Y081 is declared instead, telling customs that no standardised identifier exists.
- The merchant and manufacturer codes are still required either way.
- Don't fill the gap with placeholders like "N/A" or "TBC". They don't identify anything.
Some carriers or brokers apply Y081 when the barcode field is left empty. Others want it in their own format: FedEx's PID guide, for example, uses headers such as "M-PID" before each code and "S-PIDNO" when there's no barcode. Check with every carrier you use.
The Commission's guidance also sets out special cases for products that rarely carry manufacturer codes, and confirms that some categories get no special treatment:
| Product type | What applies |
|---|---|
| Unprocessed agricultural and perishable goods (HS chapters 1 to 15), handmade and artisanal goods, and antiques, collectibles, art, stamps, and coins (headings 9701 to 9706) | Simplified "conventional" identifiers are accepted, if the goods are correctly classified |
| Medical devices and medicines | Specific rules apply, for example the UDI-DI counts as the barcode identifier for medical devices |
| Second-hand and refurbished goods | Full PIDs required, using the original product's identifiers |
| Custom, personalised, and print-on-demand goods | Full PIDs required, using the underlying product's identifiers |
How does PID data get from your store to customs?
The data passes along a chain, and it only arrives if every link carries it:
- Your product catalogue: where the three codes are stored, ideally per variant.
- Your store or marketplace: where the order is created and linked to those products.
- Your shipping software: where the label and customs data are created for each parcel.
- Your carrier or customs broker: the declarant, who sends the declaration to EU customs.
The most common failure isn't missing data but a broken link, such as supplier codes sitting in a spreadsheet that never reaches the order. DHL advises checking that your e-commerce platform, ERP, marketplace integrations, and shipping tools can all capture and send PID data electronically.
Carriers also differ in how they accept the codes: through their own shipping tools, through API fields, or on the commercial invoice. FedEx, for instance, asks for PIDs to appear on the commercial invoice and other shipping documents.
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How to prepare for EU product identifiers: a 5-step checklist
Pull every product variant you sell to EU customers into one sheet and add three columns: M-PID, NS-PID, and S-PID.
Use your existing SKUs. Check that every size and colour has its own, not one code shared across variants.
Check labels, packaging, and datasheets for model, part, or style numbers, and email suppliers for any that are missing.
Enter the GTIN, EAN, UPC, or ISBN. If there's none, mark it clearly for Y081 instead of using a placeholder.
Ask which fields, documents, or formats each carrier expects, then send test shipments with full PIDs before 1 November.
If you ship with ShippyPro, you can bulk-import item names, SKUs, HS codes, country of origin, and weight from an Excel file under Addresses and Parcels > Customs info. Fix missing HS codes and origins while you add PIDs. See the Help Center guide for the file format.
What are EU product identifiers?
They are codes on the customs declaration that identify the exact product variant in a B2C import: a merchant code (C127), a manufacturer code (C128), and a standardised barcode such as a GTIN (C129) where one exists.
Is this the same as the €3 customs duty?
No. The €3 duty, in place since 1 July 2026, changes what low-value parcels cost. PIDs, mandatory from 1 November 2026, are a data requirement that decides whether a parcel clears customs.
Do I need a GTIN or EAN for every product?
No. The barcode identifier is only required where one exists. If a product has none, the exception code Y081 is declared instead, but the merchant and manufacturer codes are still mandatory.
Can I use my SKU as the manufacturer code?
Only if you make the product yourself. Otherwise the manufacturer code must come from the manufacturer, producer, or product supplier, not from you as the seller.
Do EU product identifiers apply to B2B shipments?
Generally no. The rule targets distance sales to consumers, so B2B shipments to VAT-registered EU businesses are usually out of scope.
What happens if PIDs are missing after 1 November 2026?
It counts as a customs infringement, and the declaration can be held or rejected. Carriers also warn of delays, inspections, or returns to origin.
Related Articles
EU Customs Reform 2026: What It Means for EU Merchants
The bigger picture behind the €3 duty and the end of duty-free low-value parcels.
Read more →Guide to Product Identification Numbers for E-commerce Companies
How GTIN, EAN, UPC, MPN, and SKU codes work and where to get them.
Read more →Guide to SKU Codes: Definition, Benefits and Implementation
Build a SKU structure that works as your merchant product identifier.
Read more →How to Add HS Codes to Your Shipments
Step-by-step Help Center guide to adding customs item data in ShippyPro.
Open the guide →Ship to the EU with fewer customs surprises
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As Growth Manager at ShippyPro, I help ecommerce businesses optimize fulfillment, automate logistics workflows, and scale more efficiently. My work centers on the intersection of ecommerce operations, customer experience, and technology. I write about shipping innovation, automation, and the future of ecommerce logistics.