Documents for shipping into the EU
Every shipment carries a commercial invoice and a packing list; clearance does not begin without them. A second group depends on the case: proof of origin, product conformity declarations, and for wooden goods the information timber rules require. Point of departure and transport mode must read consistently across all of them.
On every shipment
- Commercial invoice — description, HS code, value, delivery term
- Packing list — carton count, net and gross weight, dimensions
- Transport document — CMR, bill of lading or air waybill
Added as the case requires
- Proof of origin, where preferential tariff is claimed
- Food-contact declaration of compliance
- Species and country of harvest for wooden goods
- Copies of certificates, where the buyer's file asks for them
Consistency across documents
Invoice, packing list and declaration must show the same description, the same HS code and the same weights. A mismatch is a reason to hold goods even when nothing is wrong with them, and it is hard to correct once a shipment is moving.
Point of departure
Transport documents show Beylikdüzü, Istanbul as the point of departure. The registered office is in Kadıköy, but loading does not happen there, and the documents have to reflect where goods are actually loaded.
The delivery term shapes the paperwork
Which Incoterm applies changes who prepares what. Under DDP the import-side formalities pass to the seller; under EXW even the export declaration can fall to the buyer.
Frequently asked
- What is an A.TR certificate for?
- It evidences free circulation under the Turkey-EU customs union. Whether it is required depends on the goods and tariff position, and should be confirmed with the broker.
- Do samples need documents too?
- Yes. Even at low value an invoice is required, and marking it as a sample makes clearance easier.
Last updated: 2026-09-13