Binding Tariff Information (BTI): securing the classification of your products

What is a BTI decision?

Binding Tariff Information (BTI) is a written decision by a customs authority that sets the classification of a specific product in the Combined Nomenclature or TARIC. It is governed by Articles 33 and 34 of the Union Customs Code.

It binds the customs authorities of every Member State towards its holder, for goods cleared after it takes effect. It also binds the holder: while the BTI is valid, the goods must be declared under the code it sets.

There is an equivalent for the origin of goods: Binding Origin Information (BOI).

When should you apply for a BTI?

• The product could fall under several headings, with different duty rates
• The classification triggers a heavy measure: anti-dumping duty, quota, licence, CBAM or export controls
• You are launching a new product, or one that combines several materials or functions
• Your supplier, your forwarder and you do not agree on the code
• You want to secure a classification that was challenged during an audit

A BTI is not general advice: the application must relate to an intended import or export, and you cannot lodge several applications for the same goods in the Union.

How to apply

The application is free and is lodged online with the customs authority of the country where you are established. In France, applications have gone through the EU EBTI portal since 15 October 2024, with an authorised douane.gouv.fr account. Since 11 June 2025, they must carry the SIREN-based EORI number or they are rejected.

An application covers only one type of goods. It must describe the goods precisely enough to classify them:

• The trade name and a detailed technical description
• The composition (materials and percentages), manufacturing process, function and use
• Photos, drawings, technical data sheets or catalogues
• The code you propose, with your reasoning
• A sample, if customs asks for one
• Any information you want treated as confidential

In France, the application and its attachments are written in French, and the BTI is issued in French.

Time limits and validity

• 30 days to check that the application is complete and admissible
• Then up to 120 days to take the decision; French customs aims for 70 days for authorised economic operators (AEO)
• The time limit can be suspended, for example for a laboratory analysis or consultation between Member States
• Once issued, the BTI is valid for 3 years from the date it takes effect
• It can end earlier: an amendment to the nomenclature, a new explanatory note, a ruling of the Court of Justice or an error found by customs

When a BTI ceases to be valid before its term, the holder can sometimes keep using it for up to six months for binding contracts concluded beforehand: this is “extended use”, requested from the customs authority that issued it. A BTI cannot be renewed: when it expires, a new application is needed.

Using the BTI in the declaration

A BTI benefits only its holder: a customer or supplier cannot rely on it. The holder states its reference in the declaration and must be able to prove that the goods declared correspond in every respect to those it describes.

In France, in DELTA IE, it is declared at item level under code C626, with its number and the holder's EORI. If these data do not match the EBTI database, the declaration cannot be validated.

If you use a forwarder, give them your BTI reference: they cannot guess it, and as the holder it is up to you to make sure it is used.

Searching the BTIs already issued

The European Commission publishes the EBTI database, which holds the valid BTIs issued by EU customs authorities, without the names of their holders. You can search it by code, by keywords in the language of the BTI or by date, and read the description, sometimes with photos, of the goods classified.

It is the best way to see how similar products have been classified before choosing a code or applying. A BTI issued to another company does not bind or protect you: it only sheds light on the classification.

Common mistakes

• Describing the product too vaguely: the application is found inadmissible, or the BTI does not cover the goods actually imported
• Using a supplier's or competitor's BTI as if it were yours
• Forgetting to quote the BTI in the declaration, or declaring a code other than the one it sets
• Letting the BTI expire without having lodged a new application
• Not following the nomenclature amendments that can make it invalid

Frequently asked questions