EU Seller Kit
VAT, duties & suppliers

Verify supplier before importing: checks and documents to request

Before ordering from outside the EU, verify the supplier’s legal identity, payment details, production capability, product documents and customs data. This practical method helps reduce the risk of fraud, customs holds and non-compliant products reaching the market.

By the EU Seller Kit editorial teamPublished on Updated on 14 min read

Contents
  1. Who needs to verify a supplier before importing?
  2. Verify supplier before importing: checks and documents to request before paying a deposit
  3. What product documents should you request from a supplier?
  4. How do you verify a supplier and order step by step?
  5. When should you check EORI, VAT and customs information?
  6. What mistakes undermine supplier verification?
  7. Which special cases need additional checks?
  8. Tools and services to take action
  9. Frequently asked questions
  10. Official sources

Verify supplier before importing: checks and documents to request means confirming the supplier’s real identity and role, checking that payment details are consistent, and ensuring it can provide evidence on product compliance, origin and customs classification. Do this before paying a deposit and again before shipment, because the importer remains exposed to customs and regulatory risk.

Key takeaways

  • Verify the supplier’s legal existence, whether it is a manufacturer or trader, and its ability to supply the exact product you are ordering.
  • A VAT number, website, certificate or marketplace profile does not by itself prove that a supplier is reliable or that a product complies with EU requirements.
  • Request compliance documents before paying the balance, and check that they match the manufacturer, model, variant and applicable legislation.
  • Confirm the HS code, customs value, origin and Incoterm before shipment so that customs clearance and import costs can be prepared correctly.
  • If you import under your own brand, you should be able to answer a marketplace or authority request even where the supplier arranges transport.

Who needs to verify a supplier before importing?

Any business buying goods for import into the European Union should carry out checks proportionate to the product, order value and regulatory risk. This includes ecommerce sellers, private-label importers, distributors, manufacturers outsourcing production, and businesses sending stock to an Amazon FBA warehouse.

The issue is particularly practical if you ship from Shenzhen to an Amazon FBA warehouse in Germany. Your supplier may arrange freight, but that does not prove the product is compliant, that the customs declaration is accurate, or that the documents a marketplace or authority may request actually exist.

Do not confuse the importer, manufacturer and supplier

The supplier is the company selling you the goods. It may be the manufacturer, a trading company, a sourcing agent or an exporter. Those roles do not carry the same responsibilities or give the same access to technical documentation.

The importer is generally the operator established in the EU that places a product from a third country on the EU market. The exact obligations depend on the legislation applying to the product. The EU market-surveillance framework sets out obligations for economic operators and cooperation with competent authorities under Regulation (EU) 2019/1020.

A supplier saying that a product is “CE compliant” does not take over your importer obligations. Likewise, DDP transport does not remove the need to identify the declared importer, the customs value or the supporting product documents.

If you are planning a first shipment or do not yet know which rules apply to your trade flow, start with an EU Market Entry Compliance Assessment. It helps you organise the points to check for customs, VAT, GPSR, CE marking, packaging and other relevant requirements.

Verify supplier before importing: checks and documents to request before paying a deposit

Before making any payment, confirm that the company exists, that your contact is authorised to act for it, and that payment details match the contracting entity. This will not guarantee future product quality, but it can reveal inconsistencies that should be resolved before you place an order.

Request a complete business identity

Obtain, at a minimum, the exact legal company name, registered address, country of registration, local registration number, name of the sales representative and professional contact details. Ask whether the company manufactures the product itself or buys it from a third party.

Compare this information across the quotation, pro forma invoice, contract, bank account, email address and compliance documents. A difference may have a legitimate explanation, such as a trading company separate from the factory. If so, record it: who manufactures, who exports, who invoices, and who holds the technical file?

Use Supplier Check to centralise these details, delivery information and points requiring review. It helps identify inconsistencies in identity, payment or delivery data; it does not replace a local investigation, factory audit or credit decision.

Check bank details carefully

The account beneficiary should be consistent with the entity issuing the invoice. A request to pay an individual, an unrelated company or an account in a different country from the one stated should be explained in writing and independently verified.

A common mistake is accepting a last-minute change of bank details by email. Confirm any change through an independent channel, such as a previously verified telephone number, a known contact or an updated contractual document. Do not rely solely on the sender name displayed in an inbox.

Where a supplier gives you an EU VAT number for an intra-EU transaction, you can check its validity through the European Commission’s VIES VAT number validation service. This confirms the validity of the number provided; it does not certify the supplier’s creditworthiness or the compliance of its products.

EU Seller Kit — Use Supplier Check before a first deposit, then use the EU Market Entry Compliance Assessment if your product or trade flow raises customs, VAT or product-compliance questions.

What product documents should you request from a supplier?

Request documents before confirming the final payment, then check that they relate to the exact product you will import. A useful document is not one with a reassuring logo. It clearly identifies the model, manufacturer and relevant legislation, together with the technical evidence required for that product.

Commercial and logistics documents

To prepare the import, request a detailed pro forma invoice, followed by the final commercial invoice, packing list, product specifications, declared country of origin and delivery terms. The invoice should describe the goods precisely enough to support the customs declaration.

Regulation (EU) No 952/2013, the Union Customs Code, provides the framework for customs formalities and data. In practice, vague descriptions such as “accessories” or “samples” can make classification, valuation and customs controls more difficult.

Before shipment, review the complete EU import customs documents checklist and the required information for an import commercial invoice. This avoids discovering, once freight has arrived, that your customs declarant lacks essential information.

Safety and compliance documents

For consumer products, Regulation (EU) 2023/988 on general product safety, known as the GPSR, has applied since 13 December 2024. It establishes a product-safety and traceability framework for products within its scope, with obligations that vary according to the economic operator’s role.

Request, as relevant:

  • a product specification showing the reference, variants, materials, dimensions and intended use;
  • warnings, instructions and safety information for the countries where you will sell;
  • identification of the manufacturer and, where required, the economic operator established in the EU;
  • a risk assessment or the evidence supporting it for consumer products;
  • relevant test reports, showing the exact product reference and a credible date;
  • sector-specific documents, including an EU declaration of conformity, technical documentation, certificates or reports where harmonised legislation requires them.

CE marking does not apply to every product. Where it does apply, it follows from sector-specific legislation, for example for certain toys, electrical equipment or radio equipment. The European Commission explains that CE marking means the manufacturer declares that the product meets applicable requirements; it is not approval by an EU authority (Your Europe — CE marking).

Example: for a Bluetooth speaker, do not accept a generic certificate. Check the commercial reference, manufacturer, hardware versions and relevant reports under the Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU. For a toy, check warnings, age grading, the EU declaration of conformity and supporting material under the Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC.

How do you verify a supplier and order step by step?

The most reliable method is to check matters in sequence: identity, product, documents, customs data and then shipment. This reduces the risk of paying for an order whose essential elements cannot be substantiated.

A practical pre-order procedure

  1. Define the exact product. Fix the reference, variants, materials, functions, intended use, target users and country of sale. A change to a battery, connector, composition or packaging can change the applicable requirements.
  2. Identify the supplier and its role. Request company documents, production address, factory name and invoicing chain. Record discrepancies rather than ignoring them.
  3. Request product evidence before final payment. Compare reports, declarations, photographs, samples and the ordered reference. A report prepared for another model does not automatically validate your product.
  4. Determine the HS code and applicable measures. The HS code is the international customs classification for a product. In the EU, it must be confirmed against the nomenclature and TARIC. The HS classification assistant generates candidate subheadings with sources and confidence levels, which you should then confirm in the European Commission’s TARIC consultation database.
  5. Prepare import data. Check the value, origin, Incoterm, transport arrangements, declared importer and documents to provide to the customs declarant. The customs cost simulator helps structure known import costs and calculates duty only where a valid tariff rate is available.
  6. Check the sample and production. Compare the received product with specifications and documents. For a higher-risk order, consider independent inspection appropriate to the risk; this commercial check does not replace regulatory obligations.
  7. Keep a file for each product reference. Retain correspondence, quotations, invoices, photographs, certificates, reports, declarations and labelling versions. You will be able to respond more quickly to a request from a marketplace, customer or authority.

Checklist before authorising shipment

  • The supplier’s legal name, address and role are documented.
  • The payment beneficiary matches the invoice, or its relationship with the supplier is explained in writing.
  • The product reference, variants and specifications are fixed in the purchase order.
  • Compliance documents match the model actually being manufactured.
  • Labels, warnings and instructions have been reviewed for the intended markets.
  • The candidate HS code has been checked in TARIC and applicable measures have been reviewed.
  • The commercial invoice, packing list, origin and Incoterm are consistent.
  • The importer, EORI number and VAT treatment are identified before the goods arrive.
  • Documents and correspondence are archived under identifiable versions.

When should you check EORI, VAT and customs information?

Check these points before the supplier books transport, not when goods are held on arrival. Customs, VAT and product safety are connected in an import operation, but each relies on different data and responsibilities.

EORI identifies the customs operator

An EORI number identifies economic operators in their dealings with EU customs authorities. The European Commission explains its purpose and the general registration rules on its EORI information page.

Do not assume that your freight forwarder’s or supplier’s EORI can simply be used in your place. Identify who is acting as importer and who is lodging the declaration. If you need a number, EORI file preparation can help prepare the application. The EORI number itself is issued by the competent customs authority, and file preparation is a one-time service unless included in a SaaS plan quota.

VAT and landed cost

Import VAT, any customs duty, freight and clearance charges affect your landed cost. The appropriate treatment depends on the trade flow, import country, status of the parties and how you sell the goods afterwards. The European Commission provides general OSS and IOSS information through the VAT One Stop Shop portal.

Use the EU VAT calculator to compare common domestic, intra-EU and import VAT scenarios from your transaction data. If you hold stock in several countries, use a complex structure or sell through a marketplace, ask the competent authority or a qualified tax adviser to confirm the treatment.

What mistakes undermine supplier verification?

Problems often result from checks that are too late or too general. A meaningful review always connects the supplier, the precise product and the planned import transaction.

Accepting generic documents

A certificate without a model reference, a test report for another version, or a declaration without an identifiable manufacturer are all points requiring review. They do not automatically prove that the product is non-compliant. They mean you do not yet have sufficient evidence linking the documentation to your order.

Another common mistake is treating a CE mark on a product as sufficient. The manufacturer must carry out the applicable conformity assessment, prepare technical documentation and, where required, draw up the EU declaration of conformity. A CE authorised representative does not take over those manufacturer tasks. Read the practical CE marking guide for EU sellers before importing a regulated product.

Confusing DDP shipping with compliance

DDP allocates delivery costs and risks contractually. It does not, by itself, settle who is the real importer, how the customs declaration is made, how VAT is handled or whether the product complies. Confirm in writing who will be declared as importer, under which EORI number, at what value and with what supporting evidence.

Publishing a product listing without checking displayed information

For distance sales of products within the GPSR scope, the information shown online should be reviewed before publication. The Marketplace Product Compliance Scanner analyses a listing and flags traceability, safety and compliance information to verify before it goes live.

An incomplete listing can lead to a platform block or a request for evidence. For the information expected in online sales, see the explanation of GPSR Article 19.

Which special cases need additional checks?

Some products and logistics arrangements require enhanced review because documents, labelling or registrations go beyond an invoice and customs code. Identify these cases before signing the order, because correcting them after production can be expensive or impossible without repackaging.

CE products, textiles, cosmetics and electrical equipment

Toys, radio equipment, electrical products, machinery and other categories subject to harmonised legislation may require CE marking. The documents to request depend on the product, so identify the sector-specific rules before deciding which tests or evidence to require.

Textiles must meet EU rules on fibre names and labelling under Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011. Cosmetics follow a separate regime that includes, among other requirements, a responsible person and product-specific obligations under Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. General supplier verification is necessary for these categories, but it is not enough on its own.

Non-EU manufacturers and an EU-established operator

Where the manufacturer is established outside the EU, identify which EU-established economic operator is involved for the product and under which mandate, where the legislation requires this. For consumer products within the GPSR scope, an EU GPSR Responsible Person may be needed depending on your supply chain. This service becomes active only after acceptance, entity assignment, a signed mandate and active payment; a SaaS subscription alone does not appoint a representative.

For certain CE-marked products, a CE Authorised Representative may be appointed where the applicable legislation allows it and under a written mandate. It does not replace the manufacturer’s conformity assessment, testing, technical documentation or EU declaration of conformity.

Packaging, WEEE and batteries

Packaging and extended producer responsibility obligations can vary by country where you place a product on the market. Electrical and electronic equipment may also fall under the WEEE Directive 2012/19/EU. Batteries are subject to their own EU framework under Regulation (EU) 2023/1542.

You cannot verify these requirements only with the supplier. They also depend on your role, the country of sale and the product. Use Country Compliance to organise checks by country, then confirm national requirements with the relevant authority or compliance scheme.

Tools and services to take action

  • Supplier Check — centralise a partner’s identity, payment details and delivery information before a first deposit or significant order.
  • HS classification assistant — generate candidate HS codes with sources, then confirm the subheading in the nomenclature and TARIC before shipment.
  • Customs cost simulator — structure known import costs and calculate duties where a valid tariff rate is available.
  • Marketplace Product Compliance Scanner — check traceability and compliance information to review on an Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Shopify or other marketplace listing before publication.
  • EU Seller Kit pricing and plans — review SaaS plans and add-on services when choosing a tool or service suited to your trade flow.

Frequently asked questions

Is an Alibaba Verified Supplier automatically reliable?

No. A platform status may provide commercial information, but it does not by itself prove the manufacturer’s identity, the consistency of bank details, production quality or EU compliance of the product. Request and verify your own evidence for the exact model you are ordering.

Can I import if the supplier does not provide an EU declaration of conformity?

It depends on the product. An EU declaration of conformity is required for products covered by certain harmonised laws requiring CE marking; it is not a universal document for every product. If your CE-marked product requires one and the supplier cannot provide a declaration consistent with the model, do not assume the CE mark is valid.

Can the supplier use its own EORI number for my import?

The answer depends on the real structure of the transaction and the party declared as importer. Clarify this with your customs declarant before shipment, because use of an EORI number alone does not determine all commercial, tax and regulatory responsibilities. Check the applicable rules with the competent customs authority as well.

Do I need a factory inspection before every order?

Not necessarily. Inspection is a risk-management measure, and its value depends on the order value, product complexity, supplier history and consequences of a defect. It never removes the need to check documents, labelling, customs classification and market-placement obligations.

Is a test report enough to sell a product in the European Union?

No. A test report can be useful evidence, but it must match the product and the relevant legislation. Depending on the category, you may also need to verify conformity assessment, technical documentation, traceability information, labelling, instructions and the roles of economic operators.

What should I do if the supplier changes the product after the sample is approved?

Treat the change as a new product version. Request a written description of the changes, assess their effect on documents, testing, labelling and customs classification, then archive the updated versions. A seemingly small change, such as to a charger, battery or material, can alter the risk and applicable requirements.

Official sources

This content provides general information and is not legal, tax or customs advice.

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