Importing from China to Italy: EORI registration
An Italian business importing from China needs an EORI number. Confirm your registration with your own customs broker before ordering, then agree product checks and a quote to your Italian port. Your broker confirms the final entry. Factory checks and shipment preparation are coordinated by Cambridge China Bridge.
Start with the Italian buyer’s customs registration
EU guidance makes an EORI number mandatory for businesses importing into the EU. Ask your Italian customs broker to confirm the registration for the business that will import the goods before you commit to a factory order. Give the broker the buyer’s details, product description, intended use and destination port.
Registration is the starting gate; agree a separate product review before production. CE marking is required only for products covered by EU rules that specifically mandate it. Ask your compliance adviser which requirements apply to your exact product, and approve the testing plan, label artwork and instructions before the factory prints packaging.
Agree a quote to your Italian port
Tell us your Italian port, product specification, quantities and packing requirements. Ask for the delivery term and named port in writing, with a clear list of included freight, insurance and destination charges. A port quote should let you see which costs remain for your own broker and onward transport.
Goods can travel from China to Italy while you work through a UK-based sourcing company. Our overseas buying guide explains the arrangement, and the Ireland guide illustrates direct shipping to an EU port. Agree who sells you the goods and who coordinates sourcing through our buy-through-UK-company service. For another destination, see importing from China to Poland.
Prepare the document pack before shipment
For a factory sale, ask the Chinese factory for the commercial invoice and packing list. We coordinate and cross-check these against your order and the inspected goods: seller and buyer details, product descriptions, quantities, carton counts, weights and delivery term. If you buy the goods from us, agree the invoice arrangement with us and your broker before shipment.
Ask your broker whether a certificate of origin is needed for this shipment, and agree who will arrange it. We collect the factory’s available test reports and coordinate any agreed additional testing. Check that reports identify the actual model, materials and configuration being shipped. Send the draft pack to your broker while corrections can still be made in China.
Give your own broker the arrival work
A customs declaration records details of goods entering or leaving EU customs territory. Appoint your own Italian customs broker to prepare the entry, review the shipment documents and confirm classification, customs value, duties, import VAT and any product-specific permissions. The buyer’s own customs broker confirms the final entry.
Agree who answers customs queries, arranges payment, coordinates release with the carrier and books onward delivery. Ask the broker for a separate estimate of its service charges and destination costs. Keep the final invoice, packing list, transport document and supporting product evidence together so queries can be answered without chasing different suppliers.
Check the factory and finished goods in China
Our own staff in China check the supplier’s identity, manufacturing site, relevant equipment and ability to make your specification. Agree an approved sample and written acceptance criteria. Before shipment, inspect the finished goods against those criteria, including dimensions, function, finish, quantities, packaging and the approved labels. The quality inspection guide explains how to set the inspection scope.
Keep inspection findings separate from laboratory test reports and your broker’s clearance review. Agree how defects will be corrected and who approves shipment after rechecking. For pricing, factory audits and inspections are usually included in the quote; complex checks that need a third party are charged separately and agreed in advance.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an EORI number to import from China to Italy?
Yes, if you are importing as a business. EU guidance makes EORI registration mandatory. Ask your Italian customs broker to confirm the importing business’s registration before ordering.
Can a UK sourcing company ship directly to Italy?
Yes. We can coordinate sourcing in China and quote to your Italian port. Agree the delivery term and included charges; your own Italian customs broker handles the import entry.
Which documents should I get from the Chinese factory?
For a factory sale, request the commercial invoice and packing list, plus relevant test reports. Ask your broker whether a certificate of origin is needed. We coordinate and check the agreed document pack.
Does every product imported into Italy need CE marking?
CE marking is required only where the relevant EU product rules mandate it. Ask your compliance adviser to check the exact product before agreeing testing, labels and packaging with the factory.