Overview
As part of the EU’s new customs requirements for e-commerce imports, Product Identifiers (PIDs) will become mandatory from 1 November 2026 for distance sales of goods imported into the EU. The requirement is intended to give customs authorities more precise product-level information, improving traceability and supporting checks relating to product safety, regulatory compliance, prohibitions and restrictions.
A general product description alone will no longer be sufficient. Product identifier information will need to be captured accurately by the seller, marketplace or platform and transmitted through the customs declaration process.
What is changing
Global-e submit these identifiers to customs on your behalf and display them on the Commercial Invoice and Customer Receipt.
Timeline
Why it matters
EU customs is moving away from free-text product descriptions towards structured identifiers that can be matched automatically against a recognised product. The aim is to identify undervalued, misdescribed or unsafe goods before they enter the EU.
An item that arrives without usable identifiers becomes a candidate for customs hold, inspection or rejection — delayed deliveries and a poor experience for your customers.
Does this apply to me?
Yes, if you ship consumer (B2C or B2B2C) orders to any of the 27 EU member states.
PIDs requirements
If a product has no standardcode (S-PID)
Leave S-PID empty - and add no value in standardcode. Global-e automatically declares to customs that no standardised identifier exists for that item.
Do not enter placeholder values. Never use NA, N/A, 0, -, a blank space, or your SKU repeated. An empty field is handled correctly. A placeholder is sent to customs as though it were a real barcode, fails matching, and creates exactly the customs problem this requirement exists to prevent.
The manufacturer product code is always required (NS-PID)
NS-PID must be populated for every product/variant. Use the first of these that applies:
- The manufacturer’s product code (sometimes called MPN or manufacturer reference)
- The product’s model name or model number
- The purchase or supplier SKU - the code your supplier uses for the item
- Your own product or style code, if you manufacture the item yourself
Because option 4 always exists as a last resort, every product has a valid value. If you sell unbranded or generic goods with no identifiable manufacturer, use the model name or the purchase SKU.
Check your PIM or purchasing system before assuming you do not have this - it is often already stored as “MPN”, “supplier part number” or “manufacturer reference”.
Do not fake this field. Do not enter NA, 0, -, unknown, or a generic description such as “t-shirt”. These are transmitted to customs as though they were real identifiers.
