Customs Clearance Services Manufacturers & Manufacturer for France

To achieve lawful entry through the Direction Générale des Douanes et Droits Indirects (DGDDI), you must present: (1) An internationally compliant Commercial Invoice detailing accurate Incoterms, currency, terms of sale, and full product breakdowns; (2) A detailed Packing List showing individual package dimensions, gross/net weights, and container tare configurations; (3) The transport bill of lading (Ocean Bill of Lading, Air Waybill, or CMR note); (4) Valid 10-digit TARIC / French Commodity Codes; (5) An EU Declaration of Conformity and verifiable CE Marking documentation; and (6) Certificate of Origin or supplier statements of origin (EUR.1 / REX system) to claim preferential tariff treatments.

Developed following Brexit, the French Smart Border system electronically coordinates pre-lodged customs declarations with physical vehicle transport across the English Channel. Before boarding the ferry or Eurotunnel shuttle in the UK, the haulier presents a single paired barcode representing all pre-declared customs documentation (such as MRNs under an electronic Transit Declaration T1 or an import declaration via DELTA-IE). This barcode is linked with the vehicle's registration number. During the 90-minute crossing, French automated systems assess the consignment's risk profile. Upon arrival in Calais or Dunkirk, the driver's screen signals either "Green" (authorizing direct transit into the French highway network) or "Orange" (directing the vehicle to SIVEP sanitary stations, physical inspection bays, or customs administrative desks).

Yes, a non-EU manufacturing company can clear goods under Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) Incoterms, but it must obtain a non-established EU EORI (Economic Operators Registration and Identification) number. Furthermore, under Article 289 A of the French General Tax Code, companies established outside the European Union delivering goods on French territory under DDP conditions are legally obligated to appoint an accredited Fiscal Representative (Représentant Fiscal Accrédité) in France. The representative takes joint responsibility for reporting, managing the mandatory reverse-charge import VAT (ATVAI), and submitting local CA3 filings to the DGFiP.

Bonded warehousing (Type I or Type II customs warehousing) allows non-Union goods to be stored within secured French or regional transit facilities without triggering import duties, commercial trade policy measures, or import VAT. Taxes are deferred indefinitely until the products are removed from bond and cleared into free circulation within the EU. If the goods are re-exported outside the EU (for instance, to the UK, Switzerland, or North Africa), no European customs duties or VAT are ever incurred. This mechanism is ideal for managing buffer inventories, optimizing bulk purchasing discounts, and shielding cash reserves.

France strictly enforces the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15 (ISPM 15) to prevent the introduction and spread of plant pests. All solid wood packaging materials (including pallets, crates, dunnage, cable drums, and packing blocks) exceeding 6mm in thickness must undergo approved heat treatment (marked with the HT code) or dielectric heating, and must display the official IPPC certification mark prominently on at least two opposite faces. Consignments with uncertified or improperly debarked timber are subject to immediate border rejection, mandatory quarantine re-packing at the importer's expense, or total re-export.