Do I need IOSS to sell to the EU from the UK?

Not strictly, but it is strongly recommended for consignments under €150. Without IOSS, EU buyers must pay VAT and customs handling fees upon delivery, which leads to refused parcels, negative reviews, and higher return rates. For marketplace sales (Amazon, bol.com), the marketplace itself often acts as the deemed supplier and handles IOSS collection automatically. For your own website sales, register for IOSS via an EU-based intermediary.

What happens to orders above €150 value?

For consignments above €150, IOSS does not apply. Standard import procedures apply: the buyer (or carrier) handles customs clearance and pays import VAT + any applicable duties at the border. For marketplace sales, the marketplace typically handles VAT collection. To avoid this friction, most UK sellers use EU-based fulfillment (Amazon FBA or EU 3PL) so that goods are already in the EU when shipped to consumers.

Can I still sell on Amazon EU with a UK company?

Yes. Amazon's European Marketplaces allow UK-registered sellers. Your Amazon UK Seller Central account can be extended to Amazon.de, .fr, .it, .es, .nl, .pl, .se, and .be. Pan-European FBA is highly recommended — you ship inventory to Amazon and they distribute across EU warehouses, handling last-mile delivery customs-free. You will need EU VAT registration for each country where Amazon stores your inventory.

How much does post-Brexit EU selling cost compared to pre-Brexit?

Additional costs include: IOSS intermediary (€100-300/month), EU tax advisory (€200-500/month), customs brokerage (£10-25 per bulk shipment), and potentially EU VAT registration in multiple countries. For sellers using Amazon FBA Pan-European, the cost increase is relatively modest (€300-800/month in compliance costs). The key is using EU-based fulfillment to avoid per-parcel customs friction.

Does the UK-EU trade deal mean zero tariffs on everything?

The Trade and Cooperation Agreement provides zero tariffs on goods that meet rules of origin requirements — meaning they are of UK or EU origin or substantially transformed in the UK. Goods manufactured outside the UK/EU (e.g., imported from China and resold) may not qualify for zero-tariff treatment and standard EU duty rates would apply. Accurate commodity codes and proof of origin documentation are essential.

Which EU market should UK sellers target first?

Germany (Amazon.de) is the most common starting point — it's the EU's largest e-commerce market and Amazon makes entry straightforward via Pan-European FBA. The Netherlands (bol.com) is also popular due to proximity and high English proficiency. France (Amazon.fr, Cdiscount) and Poland (Allegro) are strong secondary markets. Use Marqetir to expand across multiple EU marketplaces simultaneously.

Selling from UK to EU — Post-Brexit Cross-Border Guide

How British sellers can access 450M+ EU consumers despite Brexit complexity

Last updated: March 2026

Brexit fundamentally changed the logistics of selling from the UK to European consumers, but it did not change the opportunity. The EU e-commerce market exceeds €700 billion annually with 450 million consumers — it remains the UK's largest and nearest export market. British sellers who navigate the new rules successfully find less competition from UK peers who gave up.

The key changes: customs declarations for every shipment, EU VAT obligations, the Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS) for consignments under €150, and product compliance requirements. These add cost and complexity, but they are manageable — especially with the right marketplace strategy and fulfillment setup.

This guide covers the practical post-Brexit framework: which marketplaces to target, how IOSS and EU VAT work, customs and duties, fulfillment options (including EU-based warehousing), and the compliance requirements that UK sellers must meet. The goal is to make EU expansion predictable and profitable rather than a compliance headache.

The Ranking

Post-Brexit Reality Check

🇪🇺Overview

Visitors: N/AFees: €700B+ EU marketBest for: Understanding what changed and what didn't after Brexit

The EU is still the UK's largest trading partner — cross-border e-commerce continues to grow
Key change: customs declarations required for GB-to-EU shipments (not for Northern Ireland under Windsor Framework)
Key change: EU VAT must be collected on B2C sales — either via IOSS or at-border collection
Key change: UK product certifications (UKCA) are not recognized in the EU — CE marking required
Opportunity: many UK sellers exited EU marketplaces post-Brexit, reducing competition for those who stayed
EU consumers still want British products — UK brands maintain strong reputations in electronics, fashion, and speciality goods

Best EU Marketplaces for UK Sellers

🛒Strategy

Visitors: N/AFees: Pick wiselyBest for: Choosing which EU platforms to prioritize

Amazon EU (DE, FR, IT, ES): easiest entry — your Amazon UK account extends to all EU Amazons via unified Seller Central
Amazon Pan-European FBA: store inventory in EU warehouses and Amazon handles customs-free last-mile delivery to EU buyers
Kaufland.de: growing fast with lower competition — good for UK sellers wanting German market exposure without full Amazon commitment
bol.com: dominates Netherlands/Belgium — accepts UK sellers with EU VAT registration
Allegro: dominates Poland (200M+ visits) — ideal if you sell electronics, fashion, or home goods
Cdiscount: France's #2 marketplace — less saturated than Amazon.fr with loyal French consumers

IOSS — Import One-Stop Shop

📋Step 1

Visitors: N/AFees: For orders ≤€150Best for: Understanding IOSS and how it simplifies EU VAT for UK sellers

IOSS allows UK sellers to collect EU VAT at point of sale for consignments valued at or under €150
Without IOSS: buyers pay VAT + customs handling fees at delivery — leads to refused parcels and bad reviews
IOSS registration requires an EU-based intermediary (fiscal representative) — cost €100-300/month
One IOSS number covers all 27 EU member states — file a single monthly return
IOSS only applies to B2C shipments of goods ≤€150 intrinsic value — above €150, standard import VAT applies
Most EU marketplaces (Amazon, bol.com) handle IOSS collection automatically as deemed suppliers for marketplace sales

EU VAT for UK Sellers

💶Step 2

Visitors: N/AFees: MandatoryBest for: VAT registration options and obligations for post-Brexit selling

If you store inventory in an EU country (e.g., Amazon FBA in Germany): VAT registration in that country is required
EU OSS (One-Stop Shop) is available to UK sellers who register for VAT in at least one EU member state
OSS allows you to report B2C sales to all EU countries through a single quarterly return
VAT rates vary: Germany 19%, France 20%, Poland 23%, Netherlands 21%, Romania 19%
UK sellers using Amazon Pan-European FBA typically need VAT registration in Germany and potentially France, Italy, Spain, Poland
Budget for EU tax advisory: €200-500/month depending on number of countries and transaction volume

Customs & Duties

🏛️Step 3

Visitors: N/AFees: Plan carefullyBest for: Navigating customs declarations and duty rates for UK-to-EU shipments

UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA): zero tariffs on goods of UK origin with valid proof of origin
Rules of origin: goods must be "substantially transformed" in the UK or contain sufficient UK/EU content
Goods manufactured in China and resold from UK: standard EU duty rates apply (not zero-tariff under TCA)
Customs declarations required for every shipment — use a customs broker or freight forwarder
EORI number required: both a UK EORI (for export) and an EU EORI (for import) if self-importing
Commodity codes (HS codes) must be accurate — incorrect codes trigger delays, penalties, or wrong duty rates

EU Fulfillment Strategy

🚚Step 4

Visitors: N/AFees: RecommendedBest for: Using EU-based warehousing to avoid per-parcel customs friction

Option 1: Amazon FBA Pan-European — ship bulk inventory to Amazon EU warehouses; Amazon handles customs-free last-mile to EU buyers
Option 2: EU-based 3PL warehouse — send inventory in bulk (one customs clearance), then ship individual orders within EU duty-free
Option 3: Ship direct from UK per order — simplest setup but slowest delivery, customs friction per parcel, and highest per-unit cost
Recommendation: EU warehousing (Option 1 or 2) is strongly preferred — it eliminates customs delays for individual orders
Popular 3PL locations for UK sellers: Netherlands (central EU location), Poland (lower costs), Germany (largest market)
Bulk shipments UK-to-EU: use freight forwarder for palletized shipments — much cheaper per unit than individual parcels

Product Compliance & CE Marking

✅Step 5

Visitors: N/AFees: RequiredBest for: EU product safety requirements for UK-origin goods

UKCA marking is NOT accepted in the EU — CE marking is required for all applicable product categories
EU Authorized Representative: required for certain product categories — a person or entity within the EU responsible for compliance
UK Notified Body certifications: no longer recognized in the EU post-Brexit — EU Notified Body approval needed
Practical impact: most consumer goods already have CE marking alongside UKCA — check your current product certifications
Categories most affected: electronics, toys, personal protective equipment, medical devices, cosmetics, machinery
REACH, RoHS, and other EU regulations apply independently of Brexit — compliance is ongoing

Making It Work — Practical Tips

🏆Step 6

Visitors: N/AFees: From UK sellers who've done itBest for: Proven strategies from UK sellers successfully selling in the EU

Start with Amazon EU via Pan-European FBA — it handles the most complexity (IOSS, fulfillment, returns)
Use an EU-based 3PL for non-Amazon marketplaces — one bulk customs clearance vs per-parcel friction
Translate listings into local languages — "English-only" approach doesn't work on Allegro, bol.com, or Cdiscount
Price in local currencies — EUR, PLN, RON, CZK as appropriate per marketplace
Factor in all costs: customs brokerage (£10-25/shipment), EU tax advisor (€200-500/month), IOSS intermediary (€100-300/month)
Use Marqetir to manage multi-marketplace listings with AI translations from your Shopify or WooCommerce store