Do I need a Northern Ireland XI EORI number?
Had a letter today from HMRC asking me to confirm whether or not I still need a XI EORI number.
Ive read the letter and the website it directs me to and still have no clue.
I already have an EORI number beginning GB and to be honest never realised I already had one beginning XI. I remember applying for the GB one but never the XI one.
I presume as I may still get orders from N Ireland I will need something - but what ?
19 replies
Seller_tRuvBEHDedp4q
i THINK but I could be wrong we have to sign up for the Trader Support Service - yet more red tape caused by Brexit
Seller_tRuvBEHDedp4q
Just gone to register on the Trader Support Scheme TSS service
Much of the form is not really relevant.
One section asks for a list of Commodity Codes I may be shipping - well good luck with that as I sell a wide range of goods - surely they do not expect me to list them all and even if I did what if I took on another line?
Then right at end of form it asks for a CSE Authorisation Number - errm I have absolutely no idea what that is
It seems it is now easier to send to rest of Ireland under normal procedures than it is to send to N Ireland. I can see me excluding N Ireland from countries I ship to until its sorted out.
Seller_Iti0OkAyMPN7I
I think the confusion stems from Brexit when it was in a state of Limbo and at that point they introduced the XI EORI to cover all bases, from what I have now been told if shipping to end users in Northern Ireland then it is not required, however if those goods are for commerial use or are potentially going to cross the border then the EORI is required.
Seller_fpHJMMwn649ll
It’s worth getting an XI EORI just in case you ever need it, you might as well since it’s free and takes no time at all to get one.
My business has no dealings with NI whatsoever but I do actually use my XI EORI. I use it if I’m importing into Amazon EU directly from the Far East as it counts as being an EU-based EORI number.
Seller_idCSjD35wINVo
Im pretty sure that The_Little_Shop is correct. You only need the XI EORI for import/export of goods and not posting to customers. We are in NI and we only use the EORI and TSS for importing from suppliers.
Other than that, amazon has blocked us from posting some goods such as plant seeds from here to Northern Ireland. If a next door neighbour tried to order from us via amazon it would tell them it was “unable to ship to their location” because brexit means these items cannot be sent from mainland to NI. amazon seem to have have made no effort to accommodate businesses in NI.
We did email the MD about this prior to the leaving of the EU to see what amazon would put in place for NI business. Nothing is the answer. 
Seller_idCSjD35wINVo
Yes, this is the issue. Obviously it is correct that “you cannot ship seeds/ plants to NI without phytosanitary certification” but, as mentioned, we are in NI except as far as amazon are concerned. I think they just like to draw their own borders where they see fit…
