Effective November 1, 2026, businesses selling and shipping goods valued at €150 or less directly to consumers in the European Union (EU) will be required to include the applicable Product Identifier (PID) information at the item-level in the shipment data.
To enable a smooth transition, this new data requirement will be encouraged from November 1, 2026 and enforced from January 1, 2027.
Businesses shipping goods directly to consumers in the EU should review their product and shipment data now to ensure the required identifiers are captured at the item level and included in the shipment information beginning November 1, 2026.
Purolator strongly encourages customers to add PIDs from November 1, 2026 to help ensure smooth clearance for shipments arriving in the EU, in preparation for January 1, 2027 enforcement.
For each individual shipment the following information will be required on commercial invoices and customs declarations:
- Merchant Product Identifier (M-PID): The seller’s own SKU, listing ID or internal product code.
- Non-standardised manufacturer ID (NS-PID): The model, part or style number assigned by the manufacturer or supplier.
- Standardised manufacturer ID (S-PID): A globally recognised code such as GTIN, EAN, UPC or ISBN.
Providing M-PID and NS-PID details will be mandatory requirements. Providing S-PID details is mandatory if the information is available. If S-PID details are not available, customers can use the exception code Y081.
Examples of PIDs
| Product | M-PID (Merchant) | NS-PID (Manufacturer) | S-PID (Where Available) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Running Shoes | SHOE-BLK-10 | DZ5485-100 | EAN/GTIN |
| Industrial Spare Part | SPARE-ABC-12345 | ABC-12345 | Not Available |
| Book | BOOK-10025 | Publisher Product Code | ISBN 9781234567890 |
As part of wider changes to EU import rules, Customs Authorities are requesting PIDs to perform risk analysis and provide better control on products arriving into EU customs territory. Missing or invalid item-level data may cause customs delay, rejection or return of shipments.
If you have questions, please contact your Sales Representative or contact our Customer Care team using our Chat tool on purolator.com homepage or call 1-888-SHIP-123 (1-888-744-7123).
