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Business, Economy, Euro
Taxation and Customs Union

Apply for a BTI decision

Before applying

Before applying, you are free to contact the customs in your country to ask for general information or advice on the applicable legislation, including classification of goods. Such information will not be binding on the customs.
You can only get binding information in the form of a BTI decision.

Steps to follow

  1. Read the General information on applications for BTI.
  2. Connect to the electronic Trader Portal
  3. Fill in a BTI application form and send it to the customs authorities in the EU country:
    1. where you are legally established or
    2. where you intend to import/export your goods

A BTI decision can only be used for goods for which customs formalities are completed after the start date of validity of the decision.

Important requirements

You must:

  • apply only if you are planning an import or export transaction
  • make a separate application for each type of product
  • give a detailed description of your goods, including images or samples, if possible.This is to allow the goods to be recognised, and help the customs determine the correct classification.
  • ensure that all the information you provide is accurate and complete. Any decisions based on incomplete or inaccurate information will be annulled.

Since 1 October 2019 all BTI correspondence between the economic operator and the customs authority is happening through the Trader Portal. This includes among others applications by economic operators for BTI decisions, requests by the customs authority for further information on the product being classified and the economic operators’ replies to those questions.
Depending on the Member State an economic operator has to access either the EU Customs trader portal or the national trader portal.

Member States that host a national BTI system offer a national trader portal.

Member statesURL
Croatiahttps://e-carina.carina.hr/
Francehttps://pro.douane.gouv.fr/
Germanywww.zoll-portal.de
Polandhttps://puesc.gov.pl/web/puesc/e-wit
Spainhttps://www.agenciatributaria.gob.es/AEAT.sede/procedimientoini/DD02.sh…
United Kingdom (link to the UK national portal during the transitional period)https://secure.hmce.gov.uk/ecom/login/index.html

Economic operators in these Member States or economic operators wishing to submit a BTI application to the authorities of these Member States will lodge their BTI applications through that Member State’s national Trader Portal.
Then, depending on the selected option, the process to obtain a BTI decision will run either in the central BTI system or in the national BTI system.
For Member States relying on the EU Customs trader portal, see ‘How I can access the EU trader portal?’ for more information.

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