Importing from China to Ireland: Duties, Rules and Steps
An Irish business importing from China needs an EORI number, and it or its agent must lodge an electronic customs declaration with Revenue; the customs value is the invoice price plus transport and insurance. Ship direct to the Irish port rather than through a warehouse in Great Britain, which is outside the EU. Cambridge China Bridge manages the China side and quotes to your port.
Buying from China for a business? How our UK China sourcing agent service works · China sourcing agent for businesses in Ireland
What Revenue expects of an Irish importer
Revenue says that if you move goods to, from or through a country outside the EU, you need to register for customs by getting an EORI number. Customs formalities apply to goods from outside the EU, which means submitting customs declarations, and you or an agent acting for you must be able to lodge them electronically.
The customs value on that declaration is the invoice price plus the cost of transport and insurance. Your customs agent confirms the duty rate, import VAT and any product-specific rules for your goods.
Ship direct, not through Great Britain
Many Irish retailers have bought Chinese goods through UK wholesalers. Going direct, the goods should travel from China to your Irish port. Great Britain is outside the EU, so routing through a British warehouse adds another customs border and another set of formalities to goods that could have come straight in.
A UK sourcing company does not need the goods to touch the UK. We quote to your destination port, a Chinese port or ex-works; your customs agent in Ireland handles the entry. Buying from China outside the UK explains how that works.
Your company holds the EU role
EU general product safety rules require an economic operator established in the Union to be responsible for a consumer product placed on the Union market. Those rules define an importer as a person established within the Union who places a product from a third country on the Union market, so an Irish company importing in its own name fits that definition; a British company does not. So for consumer goods, your company, not ours, holds that role and its details go with the product. The EU responsible person guide sets out what that involves.
That makes the direct-import arrangement the natural fit: you buy from the factory and import, and we work as your agent on the China side under a written scope. Who you contract with explains the difference from buying the goods from us.
| Step | Your company or customs agent | Cambridge China Bridge |
|---|---|---|
| Customs registration | Holds the EORI number | Not applicable |
| Factory choice and approval | Approves the factory and sample | Finds, audits and compares factories |
| Quality | Sets the acceptance standard | Runs agreed production and pre-shipment checks |
| Loading and freight | Chooses the delivery term | Checks loading and quotes to your Irish port |
| Import entry and duty | Lodges the declaration and pays duty and VAT | Supplies the shipping documents |
| EU product safety role | Holds it as the EU-established importer | Helps gather the factory's evidence |
What we do for an Irish buyer
Our strength is the China side, factory audits, inspection and loading, run by our own people in China, with a UK company as counterparty. A UK contract is not an Irish one, so agree the governing law in writing.
For a mixed range such as planters, garden tools and seasonal goods, send the SKUs, annual quantities, current prices and your Irish port. Planters and garden accessories and outdoor furniture by the container cover the product side.
For how we work with Irish businesses, quoting to your Irish port, see our service for businesses in Ireland.
Selling to Irish shops? See Buying furniture from China for a shop in Ireland.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an EORI number to import from China into Ireland?
Yes. Revenue says you need an EORI number if you move goods to, from or through a country outside the EU.
Should goods for Ireland go through a UK warehouse?
Usually not. Great Britain is outside the EU, so routing through it adds another customs border. Ship from China direct to the Irish port.
Can a UK sourcing company work for an Irish importer?
Yes. The goods need not touch the UK. We manage the China side and quote to your Irish port; your company imports and your customs agent handles the entry.
Sources
Buying from China for a business outside the UK? China sourcing agent for businesses in Ireland →